Joshua’s Top 10 Blu-ray Releases of 2020

Scream Factory

10. TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE: THE MOVIE (1990) (Blu-Ray)

This was a pretty big horror title we can finally cross off our Blu-ray lists. Shout Factory working with Paramount is a blessing since so many catalog titles owned by the giant corporation badly need upgrades. Tales from the Darkside: The Movie throws everything at you, even Steve Buscemi. Every story told here can really get under your skin, but the segment involving a killer kitty really traumatized me as a kid and never left my mind. It's one of my favorite horror anthology films, and retiring my outdated DVD felt so satisfying.

Vinegar Syndrome

9. PANDEMONIUM (1982) (Blu-Ray)

There’s a difference between naming what you think is the best Blu-ray release of the year and your favorite Blu-ray release of the year. PANDEMONIUM from Vinegar Syndrome is one of my favorite Blu-ray releases of 2020. I gave up hope of this ever even coming to DVD, much less Blu-ray. Here’s a movie that felt near impossible to find, and when you found it, it was overpriced and terrible quality. Vinegar Syndrome changed all that. I can’t guarantee that a first time watcher will love the film, but for us that grew up with it, we can now celebrate.

The Criterion Collection

8. PARASITE (2019) (Blu-Ray)

The 2019 Best Picture Winner received 3 separate HD releases in the U.S. this year; a Blu-ray, a 4K Ultra HD, and the Criterion treatment. I predicted that Parasite would be Criterion's first 4K Ultra HD release when rumors started swirling and Universal failed to drop a 4K option on release day. The announcement from Criterion was both exciting and disappointing. We may not have gotten this ultimate release in 4K quality from the almighty Criterion Collection, but what makes up for it is its inclusion of excellent bonus content and the inclusion of the director's preferred black & white version. It's left up to the fans on what they feel is more important, quantity or quality. No argument though that Parasite is a must-own movie that belongs on your shelf.

Arrow Video

7. SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984) (Blu-Ray)

Here's an upgrade you knew you were hoping for if you're a fan, but were not expecting to get the Ultimate Edition Arrow Video treatment. John Hughes's directorial debut hasn't lost its charm. 80's nostalgia for a straight 94 minutes. Universal's Blu-ray from 2012 aged pretty horribly. The picture quality looked terrible with extreme amounts of edge enhancement and filtering. Not only did Arrow Video give the feature a new 4K scan, but included 3 different versions of the film and a ton of new extras. Even Criterion couldn't have done a better job.

The Criterion Collection

6. BRUCE LEE: HIS GREATEST HITS (Blu-Ray)

Shout Factory released a Bruce Lee box set back in 2013 and while I admired their efforts, the set felt overpriced, incomplete, and lagged in terms of quality of the presentations themselves. Criterion adding Bruce Lee to their library while also getting their hands on the famed martial artists' most popular film struck as an easy slam dunk. The set contains 6 movies, The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, The Way of the Dragon, Game of Death, Game of Death II, and Enter the Dragon. New here is the 4K restorations for 4 of the 6 movies and a 2K restoration of the rarely seen U.S. Theatrical Cut of Enter the Dragon (along with the Special Edition). Hours of documentaries and interviews fill this handsome package across 7 Blu-ray discs. An obvious must own for fans.

Abkco (Arrow Video)

5. THE ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY COLLECTION (Blu-Ray)

I first heard the name Alejandro Jodorowsky in 2005 after viewing a small documentary on Starz titled Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream. In it, awe-inspired art and filmmaking featuring a Mexican head-trip western titled El Topo (1970) filled the screen. After finally tracking down the movie for a viewing, for the first time in my life I was watching something that deeply felt like an experience. Jodorowsky's movies are experiences and ones you will never forget. This box set from Abkco contains Jodorowsky's first 3 theatrically released movies (Fando y Lis, El Topo, and The Holy Mountain) along with the debut of his new feature Psychomagic, a Healing Art.

Arrow Video

4. SOLID METAL NIGHTMARES: THE FILMS OF SHINYA TSUKAMOTO (Blu-Ray)

I purchased SOLID METAL NIGHTMARES solely for Tetsuo: The Iron Man and curiously so I could check out Tsukamoto's other films, which are not easy to come by in the U.S. You could call this set, for the most part, a blind buy for me since I had only seen 1 of the 10 films featured, but one nobody would regret making. Every movie in this set (Tetsuo, Tetsuo II, Adventure of Denchu-Kozo, Tokyo Fist, Bullet Ballet, A Snake of June, Vital, Haze, Kotoko, and Killing) all come recommended and are fascinating watches. The set is packaged in a chipboard slip box that comes with 4 Blu-ray discs, a poster, and a hardback book with multiple essays. Fans will also want to track down Gemini (available on Blu-ray through Mondo Macabro) and Hiruku the Goblin by Tsukamoto which are not featured in this set.

Blue Underground

3. THE BLUE UNDERGROUND 4K UHD CATALOG OF 2020 (4K UHD)

Blue Underground went all out this year dropping 6 of some of their most popular titles on the 4K Ultra HD format. Zombie (1979), Maniac (1980), House by the Cemetery (1981), The New York Ripper (1982), Daughters of Darkness (1971), and Vigilante (1982) belong in every horror fan's collection, and these upgrades are worth double or even triple dipping for. Blue Underground's first attempt at taking a crack at 4K UHD is so impressive, it almost feels like we are being spoiled with these releases. Each movie is proudly presented in a 4K 16-bit Restoration from the Original 35mm Camera Negative and in glorious Dolby Vision / HDR. The extra mile is taken with a Dolby Atmos audio option for each movie as well. Think about that. Not even The Dark Knight (2008) on 4K from WB came with Dolby Atmos. Don't get me wrong, all Blu-ray releases that were previously available for each movie looked and sounded amazing as it is, but the extra time, money, and care put in here shows that Blue Underground deeply appreciates the art of these films. I know I'm cheating here a bit by sticking 6 different movies in the #3 spot, but there was no way I could pick just one.

Second Sight Films

2. DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) (4K UHD)

One of the greatest horror movies of all time finally gets a boxed set that feels definitive. Dawn of the Dead has gotten multiple releases on disc over the years from Anchor Bay, Koch Media, and Arrow Video, but the feeling was that the quality of the presentation itself could have used some major improvements. In comes Second Sight in the U.K. to the rescue who went the extra mile here delivering George A. Romero's classic in 4K Ultra HD. All 3 official cuts are now available in 4K with HDR10+ and the results are beyond satisfying. This is the most film-like look of Dawn of the Dead I have ever seen with healthy grain, rich colors, and clear detail. Packaged with 2 books and 7 discs total loaded with extras including 3 compact discs of the film's soundtrack and a bonus features Blu-ray disc including the intimate documentary Document of the Dead in both it's original and extended form. A Blu-ray version of this release was also available but with region-locked restrictions. Luckily, 4K Ultra HD is region free so suck on that Richard P. Rubinstein.

Scream Factory

1. FRIDAY THE 13TH COLLECTION: DELUXE EDITION (Blu-Ray)

16 discs. 12 movies. One epic package. The Friday the 13th fans are definitely used to rebuying their most beloved franchise over and over again. This new Deluxe Edition easily blows away every previously released package. Major additions to this release that were absent before are the inclusions of the Unrated Cut of Jason Goes to Hell in HD, the 3D version of Friday the 13th Part 3, the R-rated Theatrical Cut of the original Friday the 13th, the first 4 movies with new 4K HD transfers, and the debut of the never-before-seen uncut footage of Friday the 13th Part 2. This has not even scratched the surface. This box set from Scream Factory comes equally close in quality to their 15-Disc Halloween Complete Collection that released back in 2014. I can't say this enough, but the amount of special features included here is overwhelming and legendary. An absolute must-own. Bravo Scream Factory! Friday the 13th Collection: The Deluxe Edition is one of the greatest Blu-ray box sets ever.

Joshua’s Top 10 Blu-ray Releases of 2020