Elvis arrives, Star Trek soars, and Real Genius finally makes its debut: September's best Blu-ray and 4K UHD releases

For those who love physical media (yeah, we know you're out there), here are the new home video releases you need to take for a spin

By Robert DeSalvo | August 28, 2022 | 1:00pm

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Elvis arrives, Star Trek soars, and Real Genius finally makes its debut: September's best Blu-ray and 4K UHD releases

Clockwise from top left: Star Trek: The Motion Picture—The Director’s Edition—The Complete Adventure (Paramount Pictures); The Sound Of Metal (Criterion); Poltergeist (Warner Home Video); Real Genius (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment). Image: Paramount Pictures; Criterion; Warner Home Video; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

While streaming services continue to remove titles from their libraries and generally devalue legacy content (read: any movie released before 2000), physical media increasingly becomes a reliable source for people to watch what they want, when they want. Appropriately, and as collectors ourselves, The A.V. Club is launching a regular column profiling home video releases—from the biggest blockbusters to must-see obscurities—as companies from Warner and Sony Pictures to Vinegar Syndrome and Criterion Collection keep cinephiles’ shelves full of DVD, Blu-ray, and UHD discs.

What’s spinning in September, you ask? There are lots of treats on the horizon for disc collectors, including the 4K debuts of Poltergeist and John Carpenter’s The Fog. Among other highlights for the month are the HD (and 4K) debut of the 1985 Val Kilmer comedy Real Genius, The Munsters, Elvis, a Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Sound Of Metal, Minions: The Rise Of Gru, and more.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Edition | Official Trailer | Paramount+

Available September 6The Director’s Edition of made its debut on Paramount+ earlier in the year, but now is boldly debuting as both a stand-alone 4K disc and as part of the , which includes three cuts of the first Star Trek motion picture. All editions include newly restored 4K scans of the different versions of the movie, a Dolby Atmos audio track, as well as newly discovered deleted scenes and other footage from the 1979 film. Beam us up!

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

Minions: The Rise of Gru | Official Trailer

Available September 6 is the fifth movie in the ever-popular Despicable Me franchise and is a sequel to 2015’s Minions, which itself was a spin-off prequel of Despicable Me. Now that we’ve got that straight, the recent theatrical release comes to 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray in a Collector’s Edition that includes two mini-movies to keep the wee ones in your life entertained.

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Cool World (1992)

Cool World (1992) Official Trailer # 1 - Brad Pitt

Available September 13This live-action/animated fantasy-comedy starring Brad Pitt has developed a cult following since its release in 1992. from Shout Factory features a new 4K scan restoration approved by director Ralph Bakshi and a retrospective featurette featuring new interviews with Bakshi, Kim Basinger and producer Frank Mancuso Jr. What would have been really “cool,” however, is if this new 4K restoration were also released on 4K UHD, but for now it’s only available on Blu-ray.

Elvis (2022)

ELVIS (2022) - 4K Official Trailer (4K UHD)

Available September 13The biographical musical is directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Austin Butler as the King, Elvis Presley. The critically acclaimed movie shakes and shimmies onto 4K UHD with Dolby Vision HDR and a Dolby Atmos audio track. Both the feature a making-of documentary, “Rock ‘n Roll Royalty: The Music & Artists Behind Elvis,” plus featurettes on the style of Elvis and how real-life locations were re-created in Australia for filming.

Real Genius (1985)

Real Genius Trailer

Available September 13 is a cult 1985 sci-fi comedy directed by Martha Coolidge. Until now, the film has never been available in HD, which is why the vintage trailer available on YouTube looks so low resolution. Now Sony is releasing both a of Real Genius for the first time, featuring a 4K restoration of the film approved by Coolidge and Dolby Atmos sound. Extras include a “Balloon Chair” deleted scene, a commentary track by Coolidge, and the TV version of the film.

The Fog (1980)

John Carpenter’s The Fog - Trailer (HD) (1980)

Available September 13 John Carpenter’s underappreciated ghost story set in the sleepy fictional California town of Antonio Bay stars Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, and Tom Atkins. The from Scream Factory features a new 4K restoration, Dolby Atmos audio track, restored original mono audio track, as well as all the commentaries and behind-the-scenes special features from previous editions, including an introduction by Carpenter. The Collector’s Edition is also available in a SteelBook case with 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs inside.

Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist (1982) Trailer Remastered HD

Available September 20In celebration of ’s 40th anniversary, Warner Bros. is releasing a of the classic horror film directed by Tobe Hooper from a story by Steven Spielberg. The new 4K restoration of the movie features HDR and a DTS Master Audio 5.1 track. A making-of featurette and a short documentary on poltergeists are ported over from the previous Blu-ray release. Although there are no new special features for this anniversary edition, this 4K debut will be like seeing the classic for the first time as you notice background details that you surely missed before.

Invaders from Mars (1953)

“Invaders From Mars” (1953) Trailer

Available September 26Just in time for the 70th anniversary of , Ignite Films is releasing of the classic William Cameron Menzies-directed sci-fi movie featuring a brand-new 4K restoration of the film. The limited edition disc will also feature an exclusive poster signed by Jimmy Hunt, who plays David in the movie.

The Munsters (2022)

The Munsters | A Rob Zombie Film | Trailer #2

Available September 27The jury is still out as to whether or not Rob Zombie pulled off his interpretation of The Munsters, but the trailer suggests it could either be campy fun or a complete misfire. Universal’s of The Munsters reboot features audio commentary by Zombie and an hour-long behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of the movie titled “The Munsters: Return to Mockingbird Lane.”

Sound of Metal (2019)

Sound of Metal – Official Trailer | Prime Video

Available September 27This Amazon Studios drama about a drummer who loses his hearing won Oscars for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Now Criterion Collection is putting out of the film featuring a 4K digital master supervised by director Darius Marder and cinematographer Daniël Bouquet. Extras include a new conversation between Marder and filmmaker Derek Cianfrance, who shares a story credit on the film, as well as a featurette on the film’s sound and the music video of Abraham Marder’s song “Green.”