Mike Spring
What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – September 2nd, 2025
As is often the case on a holiday week, it’s a light release slate for September 2nd. The Labor Day holiday in the U.S. on Monday, September 1st means we only have a handful of new titles to dive into, but there are some real gems to be found. Here’s the full breakdown!
In This Week’s Column:
- Lost in Space (4K Ultra HD)
- Xanadu (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
- City Hunter: The Movie (Blu-ray)
- The Ghost of Peter Sellers/Negatives/Odd Job (Blu-ray)
- Just the Two of Us (DVD)
- The Theory of K.O. (Graphic Novel)
Lost in Space (4K Ultra HD)
The Movie:
Lost in Space is such an interesting franchise. A popular 1960s TV show that never hit the heights of something like Star Trek, it languished as a fan favorite until 1998, when this big screen outing hit theaters. It wasn’t an outright bomb, but it wasn’t a big hit, either. In 2018, Netflix launched an episodic TV series which ran for three seasons, and even though I think it’s the best TV show of the last decade, it failed to become a big hit. I’m not sure why this sci-fi update of the classic Swiss Family Robinson tale never quite seems to take, but it’s a shame.
The 1998 film starred William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, Heather Graham, Gary Oldman, Mimi Rogers, and Lacey Chabert and was directed by Stephen Hopkins (fan favorites Predator 2, Judgment Night, The Ghost and the Darkness). It suffers a bit from late-90s-ism, where everything that could be done with CGI was (even when it didn’t necessarily need to be), and there’s a slickness to it that maybe didn’t quite feel as wholesome as you’d want your Robinson family to be. That said, it’s also a lot of fun in places and has some cool sci-fi action moments. I know this isn’t a movie that’s particularly well-loved by the pop culture population at large (and certainly not by critics), but I enjoy it a fair amount, even if it’s not without its flaws.
This week, we get a new edition of the film from the always-excellent Arrow Video, who debut the movie on 4K Ultra HD. It comes with the usual collection of extra features and gorgeous limited edition packaging that make it a must-have for fans of the film.
The 4K Video/Audio:
The audiovisual upgrade for Lost in Space is definitely noticeable, even if the film does show its age a little bit. Imagery is super clear with excellent shadow delineation, while colors are strong and image clarity is terrific. There’s a hint of grain, as is to be expected, but it’s never distracting. The surround soundtrack is a solid effort as well, creating nice, active atmospheres throughout the films while dialogue remains clear and present. This is easily the best the film has ever looked and sounded on home video.
The Bonus Features:
- Archive audio commentary with director Stephen Hopkins and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
- Archive audio commentary with visual effects supervisors Angus Bickerton and Lauren Ritchie, director of photography Peter Levy, editor Ray Lovejoy, and producer Carla Fry
- A Space Odyssey, a newly filmed interview with director Stephen Hopkins
- Lights in the Sky, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Peter Levy
- A Journey Through Time, a newly filmed interview with producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
- Art of Space, a newly filmed interview with supervising art director Keith Pain
- Crafting Reality, a newly filmed interview with Kenny Wilson, former mould shop supervisor at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
- Sound of Space, a newly filmed interview with sound mixer Simon Kaye and re-recording mixer Robin O’Donohue
- Lost But Not Forgotten in Space, a new video essay by film critic Matt Donato
- Deleted scenes
- Building the Special Effects, an archival featurette with visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton and animatics supervisor Mac Wilson
- The Future of Space Travel, an archival featurette exploring the film’s vision of the future
- TV Years, a Q&A with the original cast of the TV series
- Bloopers
- Illustrated collector’s booklet
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
Lost in Space might not be one of your favorites, but if it’s a movie you do remember fondly, Arrow Video has given you the best possible home video release you can ask for. With improved picture and sound and more extras than you would have ever guessed would be produced for a movie that didn’t even break $100 million at the box office, this release is a real treat.
Xanadu (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
The Movie:
I’ve been weirdly obsessed with Xanadu for as long as I can remember. It’s one of those films that I’ve always been fascinated by, and whenever I come across something to do with it, I’m always captivated. I’ve read articles about the film, I own the original Marvel Comics graphic novel adaptation, I have the soundtrack on original 1980s vinyl… you name it, I’ve found it.
But here’s the thing: somehow, I’d never actually seen the film until now. I have no idea why I was so captivated by a movie I’d never watched, but I was. I always meant to track it down and watch it, but it never materialized until the new 4K Ultra HD release from Kino Lorber landed in my eagerly awaiting hands.
Now, I fully expected that this film could be an utter train wreck; after all, it’s not like it was a big hit back in 1980. But I also know it’s something of a cult classic, and I had high hopes for it. The film is a fantasy-romance musical starring Olivia Newton John, Gene Kelly, and Michael Beck (of The Warriors fame), that sees a disillusioned young artist meet a mysterious young woman who inspires him — and may be more than just a young woman. He meets a rich businessman who longs for his more musical days of youth and they team up to launch a new genre-bending nightclub.
Now, is the film perfect? No. It’s trapped between the end of the disco era in the 1970s and the burgeoning colorful era of the 1980s (there is a LOT of roller skating), and there’s no denying that the movie is a product of its time. But… honestly? I found it kind of magical. I mean, Gene Kelly is pure charm and panache, and his dancing skills — even at 68 years old — are without equal. And while some of the special effects are clearly not top of the line, there are other moments that will blow you away, such as an animated sequence created by Don Bluth Productions (The Secret of NIMH). The music is performed by both Electric Light Orchestra (with songs written by Jeff Lynne) and Olivia Newton-John, and while some of them are a bit meh, there are also a few real bangers in the mix. Ultimately, I had a blast watching the film!
The 4K Video/Audio:
Xanadu is a bright and colorful film, and the 4K Ultra HD format treats it well. Everything looks vivid and shiny, the way the filmmakers intended, and it’s a visual treat to watch the movie, especially the dance sequences, which are dazzling. There are some occasional specks and very minor imperfections on the print, but with the age of the film, that’s not surprising, and they are few and far between. The surround soundtrack is also a solid effort, creating a nice bustling soundfield throughout. Discrete sound activity isn’t too prevalent, but the soundtrack music is rich and clear while the dialogue remains clear. This is a very strong 4K release overall.
The Bonus Features:
- NEW Audio Commentary by Director Robert Greenwald, Moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
- NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker Jennifer Clymer and Film Historian Nathaniel Thompson
- NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians David Del Valle and Krystov Charles
- NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan
- Going Back to Xanadu: 2009 Documentary with the Cast and Crew (27 minutes)
- 1980 Sizzle Reel (20 minutes)
- 5 TV Spots
- 17 Radio Spots
- Theatrical Trailer
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
I’m so glad that Xanadu lived up to the hype I had created for it in my mind. It shouldn’t really work for me as well as it does; after all, I’m not a particularly big fan of musicals or the 1970s aesthetic. But Xanadu is — much like the place itself — magical.
City Hunter: Angel Dust The Movie (Blu-ray)
The Movie:
It turns out I have a lot of catching up to do with the City Hunter franchise. Based on a popular manga from the 1980s, the story was adapted into a hit anime series in the late ‘80s and also a popular Korean TV series in the 2010s. Ultimately, it has now been featured in four animated television seasons, three television specials, a live-action film and a Korean live action TV drama, and all of that was before 2019’s full-length anime film, City Hunter: Shunjuku Private Eyes came out.
It took five years for a sequel to come out, but last year City Hunter: Angel Dust was released to the delight of many fans. This time around, detective partners Ryo and Kaori begin on the most benign of cases, looking for a missing cat. Soon, however, they are swept up in an adventure pitting them against a corporation that is using nanotechnology to create human super soldiers.
While I’m new to the City Hunter franchise and don’t have a lot of history with it, what I like is that this is an action movie franchise created as an animated film. So much anime is fantasy or sci-fi or futuristic or kaiju or giant robots; City Hunter is grounded in reality. Sure, I realize the nano-superhuman aspect gets into sci-fi, but the movie focuses much more on hand-to-hand fights, car chases and explosions than it does science fiction, and I really enjoy that.
The Bonus Features:
- Opening & Ending Sequences
- Trailers
- Promotional Videos
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
If you’re a fan of City Hunter, you will not be disappointed with Angel Dust: The Movie. If you’re not already a fan, check it out and dive into this exciting action world.
The Ghost of Peter Sellers/Negatives/The Odd Job (Blu-ray)
The Movie:
Severin Films continues to put out high quality releases that spotlight lesser-seen but well-loved movies, with not one but three movies seeing their first Blu-ray releases from director Peter Medak. Medak is best known for his mid-sized hits such as Zorro, The Gay Blade (a personal favorite of mine), cult classic The Changeling, and sci-fi sequel Species II, but he has a storied career that traverses film and television. Now, Severin Films debuts three of his movies (well, four, really, but more on that in a bit) with rich new Blu-rays that aren’t labeled as Collector’s Editions but are exactly that.
My favorite of the three is The Ghost of Peter Sellers, Medak’s latest film from 2018, which looks back at the making of 1973’s Ghost in the Noonday Sun, which saw Medak and comedic actor Peter Sellers both fresh off of smash hit films and riding high. Attempting to make a pirate epic of all things, the production quickly devolved into the type of film set disaster that only occurs once a generation or so. In this documentary, Medak revisits the doomed production and we learn about everything that went wrong, including Peter Sellers’ offbeat behavior on set. It’s fascinating stuff.
Next up is Negatives, which was Medak’s debut film, and was a bold undertaking for a first-time director. It’s a sexually charged story about a bored couple who invite an erotic photographer into their bedroom… and absolutely nothing untoward happens at all! (I’m kidding, obviously.) While it’s probably considered relatively tame by today’s standards, it was apparently a bit controversial when it was released. Accompanying Negatives on a bonus disc is Sparrows Can’t Sing, a 1963 comedy in which Medak served as assistant director.
Finally, The Odd Job is a fun comedy starring Monty Python’s Graham Chapman who hires a hitman to kill him when his wife leaves him. However, when his wife comes back to him, he finds he’s unable to cancel the contract and must try and survive an assassin’s attempts on his life. It’s a quirky and endearing film with a great performance by Chapman.
Each film has been put out as its own full-fledged release (except Sparrows, which is a bonus disc with Negatives) and each one comes with a nice complement of bonus features.
The Bonus Features:
The Ghost of Peter Sellers:
- Audio Interview With Director Peter Medak
- The Ghosts Inside The Scrapbook – Peter Medak Presents His Production Albums From THE RULING CLASS Through ZORRO, THE GAY BLADE
- Love Left The Masquerade: Peter Medak’s Cinema Of Pretenders – Video Essay By Filmmaker Daniel Kremer
- Trailer
Negatives:
- Audio Interview With Director Peter Medak By Film Historian Lee Gambin
- Audio Commentary With Video Watchdog’s Tim Lucas
- Role Playing – Interview With Actor Peter McEnery
- Glenda Jackson: Working Class Wonderland – Video Essay By Lee Gambin
- Positives From Negativeland – Peter Medak Presents His Production Albums From NEGATIVES Through A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG
- The Doctor Will See You Now – Interview With Dr. Clare Smith, Historic Collection Curator Of The Metropolitan Police Museum, On Dr. Crippen
- Disc 2: Sparrows Can’t Sing Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Filmmaker Daniel Kremer, With Contributions From Assistant Director Peter Medak
- East End Manifesto – Interview With Joan Littlewood Biographer Peter Rankin
- BFI Q&A With Actors Barbara Windsor And Murray Melvin
- Interview With Murray Melvin
- Locations Featurette With Film Historian Richard Dacre
- Trailer
The Odd Job:
- Introduction By Director Peter Medak
- Audio Interview With Peter Medak
- The Odd Job Men – Zoom Reunion Between Star Sir David Jason And Peter Medak
- The Unusual Work – Interview With Writer Bernard McKenna
- Producer, An Odd Job – Interview With Co-Producer Mark Forstater
- The Odd Batch – Interview With Actor Richard O’Brien
- The Naughty Neighbor – Interview With Actress Carolyn Seymour
- Most Peculiar Craft – Interview With Actor Simon Williams
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
While these are three very different kinds of films, each of them is enjoyable and noteworthy. Medak might not be a household name, but he has a lot of talent and these movies are worth checking out, especially with Severin films putting their stamp of quality on them!
Just the Two of Us (DVD)
The Movie:
It feels like in the 1990s and 2000s, we got a lot of movies that were squarely in the “thriller” category. Not action movies, not mysteries, not supernatural thrillers, just good old-fashioned thrillers, often focusing on a relationship gone wrong or an obsessive spouse or significant other. And while the genre hasn’t disappeared completely, it feels like we don’t get them very often anymore.
Leave it to France, then, to deliver a movie that fits that bill. Just the Two of Us is a 2023 film from France starring Virginie Efira and Melvil Poupaud as Blanche and Gregoire, a passionate couple who meet, fall in love, marry, and move off to the country in a very short period of time. Of course, it isn’t long before Gregoire starts to reveal his true — and uber-controlling — colors. Still, Blanche stays but it’s only after a few years, and the birth of two children, that she begins to realize how trapped she really is.
At the heart of what makes the film work so well is the performance of Virginie Efira, who plays both Blanche and her twin sister Rose. It’s no wonder Efira has been nominated for multiple awards in her short career; she’s breathtakingly talented. Not to be outdone, Melvil Poupaud is no slouch either as the husband-cum-bad-guy. Everything int he film comes together to make a deeply dramatic thriller that will keep you engaged from start to finish.
The Bonus Features:
- Interview with director Valérie Donzelli
- Audio Commentary by film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- Photo Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
Just the Two of Us might be off the beaten path for some people, especially because it’s in French with English subtitles. But it’s worth tracking down for an intense moviegoing experience.
The Theory of K.O. (Graphic Novel)
The Book:
Nakama Press is a newer publisher that is bringing manga (and other international graphic novels) to western audiences through a new line of graphic novels. These books are printed in the more traditional manga format, meaning they’re quite small (about the size of a postcard) but hefty (well over a hundred pages each, on average.) They’re also made to recreate the true manga experience, so while they have been translated into English, they are printed in the right-to-left format, which admittedly took me a little while to get used to.
Their newest offering is The Theory of K.O.: Volume 1, which comes from French writer/artist Mathieu Reynes. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really realize that people outside of Asian countries were doing true manga works (as opposed to manga inspired work, such as America’s Adam Warren.) But Reynes might actually be outdoing some of his Asian compatriots, because The Theory of K.O. is outstanding.
The story follows a young woman named Beck, who lives in a dystopic world where pharmaceutical companies basically run the planet in the wake of a devastating global war. People live in Judge-Dredd-esque megacities, and Beck’s mentor Kai has gone missing. She sets out to find him, only along the way discovers that she’ll need to fight her way to the answers through the world of ring-fighting matches. It turns out, though, that Beck has some skills, and her fists might lead her to the answers she needs.
Reynes has crafted an action-packed story in an intriguing future world. It’s a fast-paced tale, and his artwork is outstanding, with a very traditional manga feel but also a style that’s distinct, favoring much heavier blocks of black than you often will see in a manga comic. I really dug this book!
The Specs:
- Publisher: Nakama Press
- Format: Softcover
- Page Count: 192 pages
- Cover Price: $10.99
The Wrap Up:
The Theory of K.O. took me a little bit by surprise. I’ve enjoyed Nakama Press’s other offerings a good amount so far, but as someone who’s not truly a manga fan, most of them haven’t blown me away. This one I really loved, and I can’t wait for Volume 2.
