Springtime -- specifically, March 2026 -- brings many good gifts for home video enthusiasts from The Criterion Collection, beginning with Tsui Hark's superlative action epic The Blade (1995) in 4K (?!). I love the official description, so allow me to quote that:
"Among the boldest accomplishments of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, this uniquely visceral martial-arts movie puts a gritty new spin on the story of the one-armed swordsman, an iconic figure from the moment he was introduced by the Shaw Brothers studio in 1967.
"Composed in a whirlwind of immersive close-ups and fractured editing, The Blade follows the young sword-maker Ding On (Vincent Zhao), who, after losing an arm in an ambush, transforms himself into a furious avenger. With its intentionally disorienting stylization and starkly brutal tone, The Blade was a rare commercial disappointment for Tsui Hark, but it has since been reclaimed as one of the director's most radical visions--a tour de force of action expressionism, and a scathing reappraisal of the wuxia genre's code of masculinity, that achieves a feverish intensity."
The most recent film by cinematic treasure Martin Scorsese proved to be divisive upon its release, and I'm not sure its reputation has necessarily improved any; perhaps a home video release will spur reappraisals. I'm talking, of course, about Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), which will arrive in 4K with a new documentary in tow.
Those two jumped out at me, but the month will also bring fresh new home video releases of Luis Buñuel's very BunuelianViridiana (1961) and Claude Satet's noir Classes Tous Risques (1960), both in 4K, as well as Claude Lelouch's popular romance A Man and a Woman (1966), on Blu-ray; all three films helped to define 60s cinema in general.
Finally, Lynne Littman's quietly devastating Testament (1983) is heading to Blu-ray, featuring a riveting lead performance by Jane Alexander.
Visit Criterion's official site for more information and to place your pre-orders.