Whether you're in the mood for a visual spectacle, some nail-biting suspense, or a good ole belly laugh, June kicks off the 2023 summer season with an eclectic mix of classic films restored in 4K UHD.
Paramount continues its commitment to film preservation by restoring one of comedian Jerry Lewis' most acclaimed performances while a two-time Oscar-nominated legal thriller, directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Tom Cruise, celebrates its 30th Anniversary.
There's an infamously watery post-apocalyptic sci-fi action film from the '90s starring Kevin Costner and Dennis Hopper, and an Oscar-nominated '60s political thriller from John Frankenheimer which stars Laurence Harvey, Frank Sinatra, and Angela Lansbury, and both films are thoroughly riveting.
Finally, there's an '80s comedy from Harold Ramis and John Hughes that introduces audiences to the trials and tribulations of the Griswold family that is celebrating its 40th Anniversary.
There's something for every film fan coming to 4K this June.
The Manchurian Candidate
John Frankenheimer's quintessential 1962 political thriller The Manchurian Candidate remains a potently affecting film that speaks to the paranoia of the Cold War era. Based on Richard Condon's novel, the film is set near the end of the Korean War, where a platoon of U.S. soldiers are captured and brainwashed. When the platoon is returned home, Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) is celebrated as a hero but the platoon’s commander, Captain Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) finds himself plagued by strange nightmares which begin to unravel a mysterious plot involving an active assassin on U.S. soil, and an international Communist conspiracy.
The film also stars Janet Leigh, Henry Silva, and Angela Lansbury whose villainous performance as Shaw's controlling mother was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In 1994, The Manchurian Candidate was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
This impressive new release of The Manchurian Candidate from Kino Lorber features a new 4K restoration sourced from the film's original camera negative. Having been incredibly beneficial to black-and-white films in the past, the inclusion of Dolby Vision and HDR brings an added nuance to the film's visual aesthetic. Audio is presented with a DTS HD 5.1 Audio track with an additional original mono track as an option. Supplements include interviews with Sinatra, Lansbury, Frankenheimer and the film's screenwriter, George Axelrod, along with outtakes and trailers. To boot, the release is presented in a limited-edition slipcase.
Get it: June 20 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
The Firm
Celebrating its 30th Anniversary is The Firm, a legal thriller from Oscar-winning filmmaker Sydney Pollack (Out of Africa). Based on John Grisham's best-selling novel, Tom Cruise stars as Mitch McDeere, an ambitiously driven Harvard Law grad, who kickstarts his career by joining a high-profile law film in Memphis. When Mitch uncovers evidence of corruption and murder with the firm, his dream job soon becomes life threatening as he finds himself entangled in a deadly conflict between the Mob, the FBI, and others who will stop at nothing to protect their interests.
A box office hit upon its initial release in 1993, The Firm features a stellar supporting cast including Gene Hackman, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ed Harris, and Holly Hunter — who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance. Oscar-winning composer David Grusin (Best Score for 1988's The Milagro Beanfield War) was nominated for Best Score for his unique and powerful piano-only score for the film.
Paramount's 4K release features a new restoration sourced from the film's original camera negative with both Dolby Vision and HDR bringing new life to Oscar winner John Seal’s exquisite cinematography. The feature presentation is also backed by a well-balanced Dolby True HD 5.1 Audio track.
Get it: June 20 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray – also available on digital.
National Lampoon's Vacation
Following Warner Bros.’ release of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) in the 4K format last holiday season, the studio continues its 100th Anniversary celebration by also restoring the original film in this beloved comedy series, National Lampoon's Vacation (1983). Directed by Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) with a screenplay by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club, Home Alone), the film introduces Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold as he and his all-American family embark on their first vacation adventure – a cross-country desert road trip to the theme park, Walley World. What could go wrong? As it turns out — everything! Buckle up for 2,460 miles worth of wrong turns, debacles, and hilarious mishaps.
Inspired by Hughes' short story "Vacation '58" and originally published by National Lampoon Magazine, National Lampoon’s Vacation was a box office hit, embraced by audiences and critics alike thanks to its quotable lines and visual sight gags. Additionally, along with Chase, the comedy boasts an impressive array of comedic performers, including Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, John Candy, Eddie Bracken, Brian Doyle-Murray, Miriam Flynn, and Eugene Levy.
Arriving at its 40th Anniversary, this new 4K restoration of National Lampoon’s Vacation includes HDR, and the film's audio remains true to its origins as a DTS-HD 2.0 Mono track. A feature audio commentary featuring Ramis, Chase, Quaid, and producer Matty Simmons is included. Finally for collectors, the film will also be available in a limited edition steelbook.
Get it: June 27 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray – also available on digital.
Waterworld
Following the success of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), director Kevin Reynolds and actor Kevin Costner reunited for 1995's Waterworld, a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi action blockbuster. The film is set in the distant future after the melting of the polar ice caps have led to sea levels rising over 25 thousand feet. Nearly all the land on the planet is covered in water, leaving humans trading for supplies and fighting to survive. Some humans have evolved to have gills. Costner plays a solitary drifter known as The Mariner who aids in helping a woman named Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and her adopted daughter Enola (Tina Majorino) search for a mythical island called Dryland. But a band of pirates known as The Smokers, led by the evil Deacon (Dennis Hopper), are in hot pursuit and will stop at nothing to find Dryland first.
Waterworld received an Oscar nomination for Best Sound. At the time of its release, the film was the most expensive feature ever produced. Despite being one of the highest grossing films of 1995, Waterworld was not viewed as a commercial success due to its hefty budget. In the years that followed its release, it proved to be successful in video rentals and on cable, and went on to spawn a cult following. The theme park attraction based on the film put fans right in the middle of the action with stunts on water and land, and remained popular for many years. Today, Waterworld is considered by many film fans to be an essential '90s blockbuster with bold cinematic ambitions and thoughtful environmental commentary.
This limited-edition release of Waterworld comes courtesy of Arrow Video featuring a new 4K restoration of the film's original Theatrical Edit complete with Dolby Vision and HDR, along with an incredibly sonic Dolby Atmos audio track. Two other versions of the film are included in HD: The TV Cut and The Ulysses Cut (which includes previously censored shots and dialogue). Extensive supplements are included such as Maelstrom: The Odyssey of Waterworld — a feature length documentary, Global Warnings — an exploration of the subgenre of ecologically themed end-of-the-world films, production stills, trailers, and much more.
Get it: June 27 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray (Limited Edition).
The Nutty Professor
Comedian and filmmaker Jerry Lewis' The Nutty Professor has been restored thanks to the Paramount Presents line. Released in 1963, Lewis plays Professor Julius F. Kelp, a shy, nearsighted chemistry teacher who discovers a magical potion that transforms him into a suave and handsome leading man. Enjoying a new life as his confident alter ego Buddy Love, Kelp runs into trouble as the potion begins wearing off and resulting in hilarious splits in his personality under the most inconvenient circumstances.
A classic of its era, revered for Lewis' physical comedy, The Nutty Professor was selected in 2004 for preservation in the National Film Registry. The enduring success of Lewis' film also inspired a 1996 remake starring Eddie Murphy, and a stage musical adaptation.
To commemorate The Nutty Professor's 60th Anniversary, Paramount Home Media has delivered a beautiful 4K restoration. Featuring both Dolby Vision and HDR color grades, the film's audio is presented with a DTS HD 5.1 track or a remastered Mono track for the audio purists out there. Supplements include Filmmaker Focus with Leonard Maltin, Both Sides of the Camera: The Innovative Genius of Jerry Lewis, and a never-before-seen 1962 recording with Lewis and his mentor Frank Tashlin discussing the film. Rounding things off are filmmaker audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and screen tests.
Get it: Now Available on 4K UHD Blu-Ray (Limited Edition)
By Adam J. Yeend
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