February Will Be ‘Cruising’ At Arrow Video

We’re getting closer to 2025, over at Arrow Video they are already prepping us for those cold days in. In February they will be ‘cruising’, Tobe Hooper double bill, Japanese thrillers and Neo Noir gem.

First in February is a superb restoration of the gritty classic Cruising on a 2-disc Limited Edition 4K UHD. Legendary director William Friedkin (To Live and Die in LA) brings together Al Pacino, the 70s New York gay scene and a searing punk-rock soundtrack in this one-of-a-kind serial killer thriller, finally restored to its long-unavailable original theatrical version in 4K. Taking the premise and title from reporter Gerald Walker’s novel, Cruising was the subject of great controversy at the time of its release and remains a challenging and remarkable movie to this day, with Pacino’s haunted lead performance as its magnetic centrepiece. With hours of brand-new bonus features, including never-before-seen material from the deepest recesses of the studio archives, you’ve never seen Cruising like this. The release includes a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films, a 120-page perfect-bound collector’s book and a reversible sleeve.

Next February also includes two films from legendary horror director Tobe Hooper, who, in 1974, changed the face of horror with his landmark film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Though the hulking Leatherface left an indelible mark upon the cinematic landscape, it wouldn’t be until 1986 that the buzz came back with the deliciously demented The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2! Featuring a fantastic performance from Dennis Hopper as a vengeful sheriff, whichever way you skin it, Leatherface’s second cinematic outing is an uncompromisingly delirious vision from one of the masters of horror. With a 4K restoration, three commentaries, and a disc full of bonus features, the release includes limited edition packaging, a booklet featuring new writing, a double-sided fold-out poster, two collectable cards and three double-sided postcards. The release is available on Limited Edition 4K UHD and Limited Edition Blu-ray.

Hot on its heels is Hooper’s sci-fi extravaganza Lifeforce on Limited Edition 4K UHD. Based on Colin Wilson’s novel The Space Vampires, with a screenplay co-written by Dan O’Bannon (Alien, Return of the Living Dead), this lively sci-fi horror romp has a stellar cast including Peter Firth, Frank Finlay and Patrick Stewart – although it’s Mathilda May’s appearance as the seductive alien leader that attracts the most attention to this day. With a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Video of the 116-minute International Cut, plus a 4K restoration of the 101-minute Theatrical Cut from the original negative, the release includes three commentaries and a spaceship full of extras, and comes with a collector’s booklet and reversible sleeve.

A Certain Killer and A Killer’s Key arrive on Limited Edition Blu-ray in February. A pair of stylish hitman thrillers directed by Kazuo Mori (The Tale of Zatoichi Continues) and starring Raizō Ichikawa (Shinobi: Band of Assassins, Sleepy Eyes of Death). Co-scripted by the director Yasuzō Masumura (Giants and Toys, Blind Beast) and featuring masterful scope cinematography with an expressionistic eye for colour by one of Japan’s most esteemed cinematographers, Kazuo Miyagawa (Rashomon, Ugetsu), these Japanese crime drama essentials are presented for the very first time to the English-language home video market. With brand new commentaries and new introductions, the Blu-ray includes a booklet and reversible sleeve.

And the last stop in February is The Last Stop in Yuma County on Limited Edition Blu-ray. Blending elements of the western and neo-noir, this is a loving and expertly crafted homage to the spirit of 1970s American crime thrillers with a modern twist. Featuring gripping performances by a cast loaded with genre favourites, including Jim Cummings (The Beta Test), Richard Brake (Barbarian), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator), Jocelin Donahue (The House of the Devil) and Alex Essoe (Starry Eyes), The Last Stop in Yuma County is a thrilling exploration of the difficult choices and fragile alliances that arise in desperate situations. With three audio commentaries and a host of fascinating featurettes, what you expect from Arrow Video!

Cruising Limited Edition 4K UHD 24th February

New York is caught in the grip of a sadistic serial killer who is preying on the patrons of the city’s underground gay scene. Young rookie cop Steve Burns (Pacino) is tasked with infiltrating the S&M subculture to try and lure the killer out of the shadows… but as he immerses himself deeper and deeper into the underworld, Steve risks losing his own identity in the process.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Limited Edition 4K UHD 17th February

Relocating the cannibalistic Sawyers to a cavernous labyrinth beneath an amusement park, Hooper’s deliciously demented sequel sees local DJ Stretch running afoul of them when she gets mixed up in the brutal slaying of two youngsters. Meanwhile, Lieutenant “Lefty” Enright is hell-bent on avenging the murder of his nephew Franklin, who perished in the original massacre.

Also available: Limited Edition Blu-ray

Lifeforce Limited Edition 4K UHD 17th February

When a space shuttle crew finds a mysterious spacecraft containing three human-looking creatures in a state of suspended animation, they bring them back to Earth for further investigation. It’s only then that scientists discover that they are in fact a race of space vampires that feed off people’s life-force, rather than their blood. So when they escape and run amok in London, the consequences are apocalyptic – and the shuttle crew’s only survivor (Steve Railsback) seems to be the only man who can stop them.

A Certain Killer/A Killer’s Key Limited Edition Blu-ray 10th February

In A Certain Killer, Shiozaki’s low-profile existence as a chef at a local sushi restaurant serves as a front for his true job as a professional assassin whose modus operandi is poisoned needles. He’s approached by Maeda, a low-ranking member of a local yakuza group, to take out a rival gang boss. But the sudden arrival into his life of a spirited young woman, Keiko (Yumiko Nogawa, Gate of Flesh), has dramatic ramifications on his relationship with his new employer. Ichikawa’s lone wolf assassin is back in A Killer’s Key, this time masquerading as a traditional dance instructor named Nitta who is called in to avert a potential financial scandal that threatens to engulf a powerful yakuza group with ties to powerful figures in the political establishment.

The Last Stop in Yuma County Limited Edition Blu-ray 17th February

A travelling knife salesman impatiently awaits the arrival of a fuel truck in an isolated roadside diner in rural Arizona. His attempt to wile away the hours with a crossword puzzle and a cup of coffee is interrupted by the arrival of Travis and Beau, two bank robbers fleeing from a heist. Realising they’ve been recognised, the thieves intimidate the diner’s staff and clientele into silence just as more oblivious patrons begin to trickle in. As the tension mounts and pressure spirals, the salesman is caught between protecting the safety of the other customers and his own survival, and will make a decision that will change his life forever.