The best blu-ray and 4K UHD box sets of the year (so far)

Has there ever been a better time to be a home video collector? While the glory days of DVDs being sold at every corner store are long gone, the care and restoration work put into the Blu-ray and 4K market by boutique labels (and a handful of major studios) is staggering.

Below we’ve highlighted a handful of the best Blu-ray and 4K box set releases of 2023 (so far) including two 4K editions of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the long-awaited debut of the Picard-led Star Trek: The Next Generation films on 4K, a collection of Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Khan-starring Hong Kong action classics with the In the Line of Duty collection on Blu-ray, and more.

Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales Of Terror Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

Arrow Video continues to mine the great tradition of Italian genre cinema with Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales Of Terror. Featuring four underseen Italian gothic thrillers from the ’60s (1963’s The Blancheville Monster, 1965’s Lady Morgan’s Vengeance, and 1966’s The Third Eye and The Witch), this set serves as a great introduction to Italian genre cinema from the period.

Suffused with atmosphere and menace, the films in this collection are reminiscent of classic Hammer Films from the era but are focused more on the cruelty of man, which elevates the titles here in dramatic (and disturbing) ways. Long-held family secrets and dark desires form the backbone of the four films, which present a welcome overview of Italy’s distinctive take on classic gothic tropes.

Packed with informative extras that add context to the films and this era of Italian genre filmmaking (including commentaries with genre experts Kat Ellinger and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas), Gothic Fantastico is a great introduction to an era that may be largely unfamiliar to most audiences. Once you’ve made your way through Arrow Video’s extensive ’70s-era Giallo collections, take a journey further back in time with this chilling and unexpected set of ’60s gothic madness.

In The Line Of Duty I-IV Blu-ray (88 Films)

A film “series” in name only, the In The Line Of Duty I-IV Blu-ray collection features four ’80s Hong Kong action flicks with two starring roles each from Michelle Yeoch and Cynthia Khan as literal kickass cops on the mean streets of Hong Kong.

Recent Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoch kickstarts the informal series (the films are only tangentially linked and even their release order is up for debate) with 1985’s Yes, Madam and 1986’s Royal Warriors, while Cynthia Khan takes the reins for 1988’s In the Line of Duty III and 1989’s In the Line of Duty IV.

Released during the Golden Age of Hong Kong action films, each entry features dazzling martial arts action as the fearless female cops show up their co-workers and take down the criminal elements overtaking their city. Often feeling like a cross between a police procedural and a full-on martial arts action bonanza, these films all feature incredible (and likely, extremely dangerous) practical stunts that are bound to get your heart racing.

88 Films has gathered these four films in a handsome box set with new 2K transfers and a host of special features including commentary tracks from Asian film expert Frank Djeng. The set is housed in a sleek hard case box and includes a thick booklet with essays, original poster art, and more.

If you were blown away by Michelle Yeoh’s ass-kicking (and Oscar-winning) role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, grab a copy of In The Line Of Duty I-IV to check out the early films that made her a legend in Hong Kong action circles decades ago.

Magic, Myth & Mutilation: The Micro-Budget Cinema of Michael J Murphy, 1967–2015 Blu-ray (Indicator/Powerhouse)

Indicator produces some of the best home video box sets in the market, and this staggering release is easily one of the best sets of the year. Featuring the complete surviving works of the British underground filmmaker Michael J Murphy,
Magic, Myth & Mutilation: The Micro-Budget Cinema of Michael J Murphy, 1967–2015 features 26 films (!) spread out over 10 Blu-ray discs and serves as a comprehensive overview of this underseen director.

These ultra-low-budget films (often made with many of the same cast members) are predominately horror features, though Murphy worked in a number of other genres as well, all of which are represented in this massive overview.

Early ’80s films like Death in the Family (1981) and Invitation to Hell (1982) are early career highlights and will likely be where horror fans will want to start with this set, though it’s hard to go wrong with any of the films presented here.

With 26 features, hours of features, and a whopping 120-page book, this deep dive into Murphy’s work is a treasure trove of lunacy just waiting to be discovered.

Note that this release (and a number of new Indicator titles) are now available as Region 1 releases for those without region-free players.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection 4K UHD / Blu-ray (Paramount)

“Engage!”

Paramount completes their reissue 4K reissue campaign of the Star Trek films with the long-awaited release of Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection on 4K UHD.

The set marks the 4K debuts of the four films featuring the Picard-led crew of The Next Generation series including 1994’s Generations, 1996’s First Contact, 1988’s Insurrection, and 2002’s Nemesis.

The new Dolby Vision 4K transfers look incredible, and the upgraded Dolby TrueHD 7.1 deliver an immersive and thrilling audio-visual experience.

While there are no new features on the set, the sets feature all of the stacked bonus materials from the earlier Blu-ray sets, with the commentaries included on the 4K discs and the video features on the included Blu-ray discs.

Featuring three wildly entertaining Star Trek films (and Nemesis), this welcome 4K box set makes a nice bookend to last year’s release of the original series Trek films on 4K. While the eventual massive Star Trek 4K box set incorporating all of the films is inevitable, this release should tide Trekkies over until then.

CONTEST! We have a copy of the Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection on 4K to give away to one lucky reader in Canada or the U.S. To enter, send your full name and mailing address to contests@badfeelingmag.com with the subject line STAR TREK 4K. Good luck!

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 4K UHD (Second Sight / Dark Sky)

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre roars onto 4K UHD with two stellar new editions from Second Sight (UK) and Dark Sky (North America).

One of the most visceral and unforgettable horror films of all time, Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic about a group of young adults who get caught up in the midst of a terrifying and bloodthirsty Texas family (including the chainsaw-wielding “Leatherface”) has been unleashed onto 4K in two incredible special editions.

Second Sight

Known for their comprehensive box sets of films like Dawn of the Dead and Drive, Second Sight has pulled out all the stops for this 3-disc Regions 2 (UK) release. Featuring a new 4K UHD Dolby Vision transfer of the 16mm film, the package boasts a slew of extras including the feature-length documentary The Legacy of the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, five (!) audio commentaries, and hours of new and archival interviews. The hefty set is rounded out with a beautiful 190-page hardcover book featuring new essays and photos and a collection of 6 art cards.

Dark Sky

While this edition from Dark Sky doesn’t include the paraphernalia from the Second Sight set, the film comes packaged in a striking steelbook cover boasting the film’s iconic original cover art. This 2-disc release features a different 4K UHD transfer that looks very similar to the Second Sight version, though each has its merits (and both are a revelation given the film’s low-budget origins). This version also includes many of the same features as the Second Sight version (including 4 commentaries and the new making-of feature) but also boasts some exclusive content, including an hour-long 40th-anniversary live Q&A.

While you can’t go wrong with either release, diehard Texas Chain Saw Massacre fans will want to pick up both versions for their exclusive packaging and features. After all, you wouldn’t want to disappoint Leatherface, would you?