We sift through the new release heap so you don’t have to!
Welcome to Horror News Network’s Buy / Wait / Rent, a monthly article devoted to the most highly-anticipated horror releases on blu-ray. Here you will find the best home video releases of each month, along with our opinion on whether each film is a must-own on the first day of release, something you should wait to buy until it goes on sale, or something you’re better off renting for a one-time watch. And now, on to the notable new releases of February 2019!
2/5/19:
RENT:
One year after exciting and then immediately disappointing everyone with it’s surprise post-Super Bowl release on Netflix, The Cloverfield Paradox is making the jump to physical media. There must be some hardcore Cloverfield fans out there who must have every title ever created on disc, but for everyone else this is a rental at best. Did you like the pensive and atmospheric nature of David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Well, The Girl in the Spider’s Web doesn’t contain any of that! If high speed motorcycle chases and paper thin character studies are your thing, you might enjoy it as an inexpensive rental only.
2/12/19:
BUY:
Okay, don’t take this the wrong way: Takashi Miike’s Audition should only be on your “buy” list if you know exactly what you’re in for and you like it! The last 30 minutes of this movie contain grotesque special effects which haven’t aged a bit since the movie’s notorious initial 2001 release. Beyond the gore, however, is an incredibly well-made Japanese horror movie which only seems to grow more relevant as time marches on. The pre-release pricing is right for this Arrow Video release, and the first pressing includes a premium booklet. Fright Night fans surely remember all of the hoopla surrounding the limited batch pressings of the film by Twilight Time over the years. Well, Sony is finally putting out an edition of their own, and it’s chock full of special features (including a massive 2016 making-of documentary). Don’t hesitate to pick this one up!
WAIT:
Classic horror fans love to get their hands on pretty much anything starring both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing; but even so, Horror Express isn’t likely to top anyone’s list of their best collaborations. Surely, this title will be a great addition to numerous classic libraries, but the release date pricing is prohibitive, especially with the other releases debuting this week.
2/19/19:
WAIT:
Overlord was a critical darling when it hit theaters last November, and the 4K UHD version is surely the format to pick up if you have the right equipment. The only caveat is that the release date pricing is kind of high, and Paramount has a reputation for good sales on their studio releases in the weeks following their debuts. I won’t blame anyone who wants this title on Day One, but more patient collectors will surely be able to save a buck or two by holding off just a little bit.
2/26/19:
WAIT:
We can always count on Shout! Factory to provide us with niche horror titles that you just can’t get anywhere else. There is definitely a market out there for the 2003 Willard remake starring Crispin Glover, but it’s not going to be a Day One title for many. Shout! Factory is known for excellent sales throughout the year, and given the lack of pre-order bonuses I recommend that people hold off on this one until then.
