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Posted: **Sat Apr 13, 2019 5:31 pm**

NOT EVERYONE WHO RUNS A CITY IS ELECTED.

Arguably maverick filmmaker Abel Ferrara’s most accessible and explosive film, King of New York’s status as an urban gangster classic is cemented by a magnetic, career-best central performance by Christopher Walken, as well as riveting support from Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, Giancarlo Esposito, Steve Buscemi and David Caruso.

After years inside, drug lord Frank White (Walken) is fresh out of jail and back on the streets of New York City. Seeing himself as half Scarface, half Robin Hood, Frank and his enforcers brutally take back control of the city, turf by turf – with starry dreams of using the millions to benefit the community and save a local hospital. Before Frank can fulfil his ruthless lust for power, though, he’s got to get past the crooked cops determined to take him down, and the criminal competition that won’t bend to his will.

Still just as relevant and incendiary now as it was three decades ago, King of New York returns with guns blazing in this definitive special edition, including a new director-approved 4K restoration.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

New 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Abel Ferrara and cinematographer Bojan Bazelli
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
LPCM original stereo and remixed DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio options
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary by director Abel Ferrara
Audio commentary with composer Joe Delia, producer Mary Kane, casting director Randy Sabusawa and editor Anthony Redman
Interview with director Abel Ferrara
Interview with producer Augusto Caminito
Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty, a documentary on the director from the French TV show Cinéastes de notre temps
A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrara, a documentary looking back at the director’s career, including interviews with his key collaborators
Original theatrical trailers and TV spots
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Tracie Ching

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet containing essays on the film by Iain Sinclair and Abel Ferrara biographer Brad Stevens

4K ULTRA HD SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

New 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Abel Ferrara and cinematographer Bojan Bazelli
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
LPCM original stereo and remixed DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio options
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary by director Abel Ferrara
Audio commentary with composer Joe Delia, producer Mary Kane, casting director Randy Sabusawa and editor Anthony Redman
Interview with director Abel Ferrara
Interview with producer Augusto Caminito
Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty, a documentary on the director from the French TV show Cinéastes de notre temps
A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrara, a documentary looking back at the director’s career, including interviews with his key collaborators
Original theatrical trailers and TV spots
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Tracie Ching

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet containing essays on the film by Iain Sinclair and Abel Ferrara biographer Brad Stevens

Posted: **Wed Jun 12, 2019 11:00 am**

DarkImbecile wrote: ↑
Sat Apr 13, 2019 5:31 pm
[*]Brand new interview with director Abel Ferrara

This was pretty funny interview even if Ferrara seemed to be completely sober. The interviewer made her best effort to get Ferrara to talk about the themes of the movie and say something positive about Walken’s character. Ferrara was being very elusive, but he ended up saying three things: 1) He had seen The Terminator and had though ”ok, kids are into this kind of crap these days” and wanted to try to do something similar for a box office hit. 2) New York was flooded with coke back then, which, knowing Ferrara, means, that he was doing a lot of it when writing the script and also drug money was invested for making the movie. 3) He wanted to write a character, that was a complicated megalomaniac. I think the interviewer expected Ferrara to say something about healthcare or racism and I expected that myself too. Instead I found out, that the movie was actually in many ways a product of Pablo Escobar.

Posted: **Fri Jun 14, 2019 12:16 pm**

One of my favourite releases, I have it in the steelbook (Arrow don't seem to be doing steelbooks as much now, I don't know why).

The intro to the audio commentary is very funny. "I'm here because they gave me 5 grand cash."

And the documentary "Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty" might be my favourite thing on there apart from the film of course. Following him through his chaotic nightlife but laser-focused when he's directing ("I don't want anyone in her sight line!") and the excellent critique he gives of Donnie Brasco.

"It's my world. And you ain't part of it," he shouts from a taxi at one point. Yes it is Abel!

Great disc.

Posted: **Sat Jun 15, 2019 7:29 am**

Don’t whatever you do play it with the 5.1 soundtrack under the impression that it’ll be better than the 2.0 track, because it falls miles short.

I QCed this title way back when, and I was so startled by how anaemic the 5.1 track sounded that I trawled through numerous reviews of the US disc to see if it had had a similarly negative reception - and was relieved to see that it had. I even suggested that Arrow drop the track altogether, but I can see why they kept it as a selling point - but it really is very poor indeed.

By contrast, the 2.0 track replicates the original Dolby Stereo, and most amps should be able to demux the original 4.0 soundstage. So it’s basically what you’d have heard in cinemas, and sounds great.

Posted: **Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:19 am**

The 5.1 track is indeed abysmal. It's not just poor : it is an awful annoying listen. The volume seems not normalized, especially.

Posted: **Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:21 am**

Yes, the gunshots are dramatically quieter than they are in the 2.0 track, which can’t be right.

Posted: **Sat Jun 15, 2019 12:38 pm**

And in opposite, I dont recall what it was but some other stuff was much louder than it should be.

Posted: **Fri Aug 28, 2020 8:12 am**

4K UHD and Blu-Ray upgrade coming in November.

NOT EVERYONE WHO RUNS A CITY IS ELECTED.

Arguably maverick filmmaker Abel Ferrera s most accessible and explosive film, King of New York s status as an urban gangster classic is cemented by a magnetic, career-best central performance by Christopher Walken, as well as riveting support from Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, Giancarlo Esposito, Steve Buscemi and David Caruso.

After years inside, drug lord Frank White (Walken) is fresh out of jail and back on the streets of New York City. Seeing himself as half Scarface, half Robin Hood, Frank and his enforcers brutally take back control of the city, turf by turf with starry dreams of using the millions to benefit the community and save a local hospital. Before Frank can fulfil his ruthless lust for power, though, he s got to get past the crooked cops determined to take him down, and the criminal competition that won t bend to his will.

Still just as relevant and incendiary now as it was three decades ago, King of New York returns with guns blazing in this definitive special edition, including a new director-approved 4K restoration.

4K ULTRA HD SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

New 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Abel Ferrera and cinematographer Bojan Bazelli
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
LPCM original stereo and remixed DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio options
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary by director Abel Ferrera
Audio commentary with composer Joe Delia, producer Mary Kane, casting director Randy Sabusawa and editor Anthony Redman
Interview with director Abel Ferrera
Interview with producer Augusto Caminito
Abel Ferrera: Not Guilty, a documentary on the director from the French TV show Cinéastes de notre temps
A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrera, a documentary looking back at the director s career, including interviews with his key collaborators
Original theatrical trailers and TV spots
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Tracie Ching
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors booklet containing essays on the film by Iain Sinclair and Abel Ferrera biographer Brad Stevens

Posted: **Fri Aug 28, 2020 10:27 am**

Before some wiseguy expects kudos for pointing it out, yes I mis-spelled the director's surname, yes we've already corrected it everywhere (except Amazon in time for everyone copying-and-pasting from it - d'oh!).

Posted: **Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:01 pm**

Does Lionsgate still have the rights to this in the US?

Posted: **Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:26 pm**

Yes, pretty sure they own it outright in the US.

Posted: **Sat Aug 29, 2020 12:06 am**

Since 4K UHD are always region-free, a company cannot release dual-format editions if the Blu Ray rights are owned by another company in another region where it intends to sell the 4K UHD.

This is the case with both "Crash" and "King of New York" planned to be released by Arrow in two different versions - one with only 4K UHD and another with only Blu Ray.

This situation compels buyers to purchase the item twice if they do not own a 4K UHD player now but intend to get it in future.

Posted: **Sat Aug 29, 2020 4:34 am**

kekid wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 29, 2020 12:06 am
Since 4K UHD are always region-free, a company cannot release dual-format editions if the Blu Ray rights are owned by another company in another region where it intends to sell the 4K UHD. This is the case with both "Crash" and "King of New York" planned to be released by Arrow in two different versions - one with only 4K UHD and another with only Blu Ray.

I don't think that's how things work.

Arrow bought the UK video rights for Crash and King of New York, on both UHD and BD. They can thus release these movies on both formats in the UK. This is the market they have the rights for, and this is the market they're advertising for and will be supplying. Their "intent to sell" is thus contractually limited to this market, and their announcements and structure are clearly limiting the releases to the UK, regardless of where potential importing buyers can live. If someone in France buys those (especially on Amazon) despite Carlotta having the rights here, that's likely not a breach of contract. Arrow are tailoring their releases to the UK when they only have the UK rights, and that's thus where they're intending to sell them, regardless of UHD not being region lockable.

Symmetrically, Carlotta and Le chat qui fume in France, and Blue Underground and Vinegar Syndrome in the US have done DF UHD/BD (and sometimes /DVD) releases of titles of which they only own domestic video rights / that are owned by other companies elsewhere (it actually includes Crash for Carlotta). If one would apply your reasoning there, they couldn't have released those DFs and would have had to do separate releases. Yet, they did, because their releases are also tailored to the sole markets they have the rights for (though I'm still wondering if Blue Underground have the rights for the French dubs they include on their BDs) : they have the rights for these movies on these markets, and are releasing stuff accordingly.

Also : if one would apply the same reasoning to Arrow themselves, it wouldn't explain why they chose to do separate releases for Pitch Black, despite having the rights for both the UK and the US (ie their main markets, but also "Region A & B" markets).

So whatever the reasons for Arrow not doing DF UHD/BD releases, worldwide right holding complexity isn't likely to be one of them. I suppose it simply is instead an editorial decision, which I'd guess would be to properly measure their current UHD market size without having interferences from the DF BD sales and the potential future proofing which might never turn into specific UHD sales.

Posted: **Sat Aug 29, 2020 5:18 am**

tenia wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 29, 2020 4:34 am
(though I'm still wondering if Blue Underground have the rights for the French dubs they include on their BDs)

If they cleared the North American rights as a whole, they'll presumably be cleared for English, French, Spanish and the film's original language (if different from those three).

Posted: **Sat Aug 29, 2020 6:26 am**

That's what I'd think, but that would only be provided the rights for these dubs are available to a US label. And I've read claims from a French label that some of those French dubs might not have been cleared by BU for the US, but were included nevertheless.

Posted: **Sat Aug 29, 2020 12:38 pm**

The only memory triggered by this film is some serious over-acting by David Caruso. My vague recollection is that it was just another cheap, forgettable 80's (1990!) gang/gangster vhs-rental flick. Another vague memory about a shootout/ confrontation under an overpass.

In retrospect, I hope I was kind, and re-winded.

Posted: **Mon Aug 31, 2020 4:12 am**

How rude! wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 29, 2020 12:38 pm
The only memory triggered by this film is some serious over-acting by David Caruso.

That's funny as I think it's one of his best performances. It is bleakly comic to note though how Caruso's prominent casting in this picture has been downgraded. He's no longer even listed or acknowledged on the cover.

Posted: **Fri Nov 20, 2020 12:38 pm**

Screenshots over at Bluray.com forums.

It looks beautiful. Huge improvement over the old BD.

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