Arrow Video is making October a manly month with three releases starring iconic actors. First is Humphrey Bogart in The Desperate Hours. This is Bogart as a bad guy when he takes a family hostage. You don’t want him looking at your kids in this classic thriller. Next up is Arrow continuing giving us the early work of Hong Kong legend Sammo Hung. The Iron-Fisted Monk has him directing and acting in this Shaolin Temple story. Sammo goes the extreme and the film was given the Hong Kong version of NC-17 for the bone breaking action. Finally there’s Harrison Ford in Witness. He’s a cop who during a dangerous case finds himself hiding out in the Amish countryside of Pennsylvania. This is the movie that made people eager to build their own barns with friends and neighbors. Here’s the press release from Arrow Video with all the details:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New from Arrow Video US
The Desperate Hours [Limited Edition]
10/17/23
The Iron Fisted Monk [Limited Edition]
10/24/23
Witness [Limited Edition]
10/31/23
Witness [Limited Edition]
10/31/23
via MVD Entertainment Group
| Arrow Video Presents Thrills in October, with Humphrey Bogart, Harrison Ford and Sammo Hung! |
| On October 17th, Academy Award-winning director William Wyler’s classic film noir, The Desperate Hours, comes to Blu-ray with a new restoration from a 6K scan of the original VistaVision negative. Wyler’s thriller stars Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March in a battle of wills between an escaped convict (Bogart) and a family man (March) whose loved ones he’s taken hostage. Adapted by Joseph Hayes (The Third Day) from his own novel and stage play and inspired by actual events, The Desperate Hours is a classic tale of suspense from a master filmmaker at the height of his creative powers. Featuring a taut script, crisp black and white photography, and a truly sinister turn by Bogart, The Desperate Hours isn’t just a good home invasion thriller but the original classic that launched the genre itself. Featuring a taut script, crisp black and white photography, and a truly sinister turn by Bogart, The Desperate Hours isn’t just a good home invasion thriller but the original classic that launched the genre itself. The special features include brand new audio commentary by film historian Daniel Kremer; Trouble in Suburbia – a new appreciation of the film by José Arroyo, Associate Professor in Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick; The Lonely Man – a new visual essay by Eloise Ross, co-curator of the Melbourne Cinémathèque; Scaled Down and Ratcheted Up – a new audio interview with Catherine Wyler, daughter of director William Wyler; a lobby cards gallery; a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jennifer Dionisio; and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Philip Kemp and Neil Sinyard. On October 24th, Sammo Hung’s directorial debut, The Iron Fisted Monk, comes to Blu-ray in a 2K restoration from original film elements by Fortune Star, including the original uncensored version. Hung stars as a simple rice farmer saved by Shaolin monks and taught the way of the kung fu after the cold-blooded assassination of his uncle. Receiving a Category III rating in Hong Kong (the US equivalent of the NC-17), The Iron Fisted Monk features unrelenting, bone-breaking martial arts action that you won’t soon forget. The special features include an audio commentary by martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng; two archival interviews with Sammo Hung; an archival interview with Casanova Wong; the original theatrical trailer; a reversible sleeve and a double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Mills; and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Brandon Bentley. Finally on October 31st, Arrow Video releases Witness on UHD and Blu-ray. Widely considered one of the best films of the 1980s Witness is an astute thriller directed by Academy Award®-nominated Peter Weir and featuring Harrison Ford in his first Academy Award®-nominated performance. Ford plays a Philadelphia police detective who must infiltrate a rural community in order to protect a young Amish boy (Lukas Haas in his debut performance), the only living witness to a brutal murder that exposes deep-rooted corruption in the detective’s own department. This taut, dramatic thriller features impressive supporting turns by Patti LuPone, Kelly McGillis, Alexander Godunov, and Danny Glover. The Ultra HD Blu-ray edition is presented fully restored in 4K with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible). The special features for both the UHD and Blu-ray editions include a brand new audio commentary by film historian Jarret Gahan; a new video interview with cinematographer John Seale; a new visual essay on the film’s performances by film journalist Staci Layne Wilson; a vintage 1985 interview in which Harrison Ford discusses Witness with critic Bobbie Wygant; Between Two Worlds – a five-part archival documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Peter Weir, John Seale, producer Edward S. Feldman, and actors Lukas Haas, Patti LuPone and Viggo Mortensen; A Conversation with Peter Weir – an archival interview with the film’s director; two vintage EPK featurettes; a deleted scene from the network TV version of the film; a theatrical trailer; an image gallery; limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket; a limited edition 60-page perfect bound booklet illustrated by Tommy Pocket, featuring new writing on the film by Dennis Capicik, Martyn Conterio, John Harrison and Amanda Reyes; a fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket; and six double-sided collector’s postcards. |
The Desperate Hours [Limited Edition]
Three escaped convicts invade the home of a suburban family in the classic 1955 thriller starring Humphrey Bogart based on the novel by Joseph Hayes.
![The Desperate Hours [Limited Edition]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAyMTYgMCc+PC9zdmc+)
Director William Wyler (Detective Story, Roman Holiday) pairs up two Hollywood legends – Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca) and Fredric March (The Best Years of Our Lives) – for their only appearance together. The result is an electrifying tour de force pitting two giants of the silver screen against each other. Three escaped cons, led by the ruthless Glenn Griffin (Bogart), force their way into a suburban home, intending to hide out while they await the arrival of an all-important package. But what should have been an overnight stay extends into a protracted hostage situation, pitting Glenn against the embattled family patriarch, Daniel Hilliard (March) – a man with everything to lose. Adapted by Joseph Hayes (The Third Day) from his own novel and stage play and inspired by actual events, The Desperate Hours is a classic tale of suspense from a master filmmaker at the height of his creative powers, now fully restored from the original VistaVision negative.
Media
Bonus Materials
- Brand new restoration by Arrow Films from a 6K scan of the original VistaVision negative
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
- Original restored lossless mono audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on all films
- Brand new audio commentary by film historian Daniel Kremer
- Trouble in Suburbia – brand new appreciation of the film by José Arroyo, Associate Professor in Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick
- The Lonely Man – brand new visual essay by Eloise Ross, co-curator of the Melbourne Cinémathèque
- Scaled Down and Ratcheted Up – brand new audio interview with Catherine Wyler, daughter of director William Wyler
- Lobby cards gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jennifer Dionisio
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Philip Kemp and Neil Sinyard
The Iron Fisted Monk [Limited Edition]
Sammo Hung plays “Husker,” a young civilian who is taken in and trained by Shaolin monks after his uncle was killed by the Manchus.
In the years following the passing of Bruce Lee, the flame of Hong Kong action cinema was being kept alive via the masterful choreography of Sammo Hung in a multitude of films, typically under the direction of Huang Feng (Hapkido, The Shaolin Plot). However, in 1977, Hung would finally get his chance to fully take the directing reins, with his former director by his side as co-writer, paving the way for The Iron-Fisted Monk! Rice Miller Luk (Hung) is just a simple man trying to live a quiet life, until one day the Manchu Bannermen bully their way through town, killing his uncle in the process. When a nearby Shaolin monk, San De (Chan Sing, The Shaolin Plot), easily defeats them and sees the fallen Luk, he offers him a chance to learn martial arts at the Shaolin Temple. However, Luk’s impatience with his training sees him return to his town to witness an even more ruthless organization of Manchus, led by a depraved official (Fung Hak-An, Warriors Two) who has a nasty and violent habit of taking whatever (and whoever) he wants. Will Luk’s incomplete Shaolin teachings, combined with the skill set of San De, be enough to put an end to the Manchu stronghold plaguing their people? Predating The 36th Chamber of Shaolin‘s variation of the story of San De and Miller Luk by a year, and notorious for its uncensored version receiving a retroactive Category III rating in Hong Kong (the equivalent of the American NC-17), The Iron-Fisted Monk pulls no punches, literally or figuratively, explosively marking the beginning for one of the greatest martial arts film directors of all time!
Media
Bonus Materials
- 2K restoration from original film elements by Fortune Star
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation of the original uncensored version
- Original lossless Cantonese and Mandarin mono audio, plus lossless English dub mono option
- Two choices of English dubbed audio: the original export dub mono (first time ever in the US) and the newer 5.1 dub created for international DVD presentations
- Optional English subtitles
- Audio commentary by martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng
- Two archival interviews with Sammo Hung
- Archival interview with Casanova Wong
- Original theatrical trailer
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Mills
- Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Mills
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Brandon Bentley
Witness [Limited Edition]
After witnessing a brutal murder, young Amish boy Samuel and his mother Rachel seek protection from police officer John Book (Harrison Ford).
Harrison Ford (The Fugitive) and Kelly McGillis (The Accused) star as would-be lovers from two different worlds in Witness, director Peter Weir’s (Picnic at Hanging Rock) Academy Award-winning neo-noir thriller which pits modernity against tradition. When a young Amish boy inadvertently witnesses a brutal murder while en route to Philadelphia with his recently widowed mother, Rachel (McGillis), Detective John Book (Ford) is assigned to the case. With the perpetrators desperate to silence the sole witness, Ford and his two wards are forced to hide out in the heart of the Amish community. As passions between Book and Rachel ignite, the killers close in, culminating in a dramatic, life-and-death clash of cultures that while change the lives of those involved forever. Noted for its sensitive portrayal of the Amish community, Witness features a career-best performance from Ford, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Now fully restored in 4K, Witness proves as timeless as it is masterful.
Media
Bonus Materials
- High-Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Original lossless 2.0 stereo audio
- Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by film historian Jarret Gahan
- Brand new video interview with cinematographer John Seale
- Brand new visual essay on the film’s performances by film journalist Staci Layne Wilson
- Vintage 1985 interview in which Harrison Ford discusses Witness with critic Bobbie Wygant
- Between Two Worlds – five-part archival documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Peter Weir, John Seale, producer Edward S. Feldman, and actors Lukas Haas, Patti LuPone and Viggo Mortensen
- A Conversation with Peter Weir – archival interview with the film’s director
- Two vintage EPK featurettes
- Deleted scene from the network TV version of the film
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
- Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket
- Limited edition 60-page perfect bound booklet illustrated by Tommy Pocket, featuring new writing on the film by Dennis Capicik, Martyn Conterio, John Harrison and Amanda Reyes
- Fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket
- Six double-sided collector’s postcards
