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Howard the Duck 4K Blu-ray
Posted May 13, 2021 10:45 PM by
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrate the 35th anniversary of Willard Huyck's Howard the Duck (1986) with a brand new 4K Blu-ray release of the film, which will be available for purchase on July 6th.
Description: From executive producer George Lucas and the pages of Marvel Comics comes this unbelievably funny comedy about a fast-talking, cigar-chomping, beer-loving duck from a parallel universe who crashes to Earth.
Howard the Duck is suddenly beamed from Duckworld, a planet of intelligent ducks with arms and legs, to Earth, where he lands in Cleveland. There he saves rocker Beverly (Lea Thompson) from thugs and forms a friendship with her. She introduces him to Phil (Tim Robbins), who works at a lab with scientist Dr. Jenning (Jeffrey Jones). When the doctor attempts to return Howard to his world, Jenning instead transfers an evil spirit into his own body.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
ENGLISH DTS:X AUDIO TRACK
A Look Back at Howard The Duck
Releasing the Duck
News Featurette
The Stunts of Howard The Duck
The Special Effects of Howard The Duck
The Music of Howard The Duck
Teaser Trailers
Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature
I still can't get over how odd of a choice it is for Universal to release this... but with that said the movie holds some serious nostalgia for me, so I'll be picking it up!
Sounds like the same old special features, but the 4K scan could be simply amazing on this one! Sure this film had a rushed to market feel to it--yet it has some very good talent behind it! John Barry's score is very good: a mix of melancholy and mayhem! Cannot wait for this to drop to around $20!
We’re getting this shit of a movie. Even George Lucas is embarrassed by this turd of a movie. There’s hundreds of titles from the Universal Studios that haven’t been released on 4K UltraHD, and they’re given us this crap. Thanks for nothing Universal. Now I know streaming is the future. What a frickin’ joke!
I hate to be that guy, but we can't even get True Lies or The Abyss on BD, but we get what is universally regarded as on of cinema's greatest all time turds on 4K?
All you haters out there have got to realize that Howard The Duck has many fans. Yes, It was a bomb when it was released. But, Now it is a cult classic and has a big fan base. So get over it and if you don't like it, Then leave it at that. Don't spoil it for the rest of us. I commend Universal for this release and I am extremely excited to own this for the fourth time... LONG LIVE PHYSICAL MEDIA.
Can people finally get it that the release of True Lies and The Abyss has nothing to do with the studios but with James Camercon? I love those movies they are fantastic but enough please.
It makes sense. This was the first ever cinematic outing for Marvel Comics (not counting the Republic "Captain America" 1944 serial), that alone carries some selling power.
@UnionJackMix -- I don't think we'll ever get a 4K release. Cameron at this point has permanently drifted into Avatar-land and doesn't appear all that interested in remastering his first box-office letdown and the movie he's now seemingly ashamed of for satirizing Muslims/terrorism.
As and others had noted this is a cult classic, over 3600 people from this site own the blu-ray, and another 1400 on other formats. Even though half the people are complaining, the other half are happy. Universal knows this will sell, that's why we are getting it.
I will say American Graffiti would sell better, but hopefully that's coming eventually.
Obviously, the consumers are at fault -- anyone who bought this on V.H.S., D.V.D., and/or Blu-ray. This isn't a random release. Studios release what sells....
This is officially the stupidest 4K release I've seen, and I fully endorse it. Never seen it, but I know it's considered one of the worst movies ever. More physical media is almost never a bad thing, even when the films are trash.
OMFG! This is one of my secret favorite movies! So excited its coming to 4K! I even met Lea Thompson at a con and she was awesome. She signed my howard the duck poster and its over my TV. She told me honestly, she does enjoy the movie and loves the campyness. She told me they were not sure if they were going to dub her or use her singing voice and decided at the last minute to use her real voice and i loved her voice on the Cherry Bomb songs!
It's a fun 80s movie, and Lea Thompson is so hot and cute in it. Loads of good-natured fun. I pray Universal is going to release an umolested edition of American Graffiti soon, as the BD looks rather awful.
@PeterTHX I know, I’m talking about the sound effects. Universal is putting them in a new outfit.
Just like with the Blues Brothers songs, it will sound awesome.
I feel like we are running out of time for buying discs. Our days are numbered. There are so many other great movies out there that could be released on 4K and they give us this? Of all the movies we don't need on 4K, it's this one. Give us something like Titanic, Casablanca, Gone With the Wind. The list is endless of great titles. Why this? It seems like a waste of time and materials when time time is short and not on our side.
80s Lea Thompson in 4K is an easy Day 1! As an 80s kid I remember seeing this at a sleepover and loved the movie. It wasn't until I was an adult I realized a lot of people hate it. It's good fun and I can't wait to upgrade!
There is so much other better stuff they have in their vault and they release this on 4K ? I would be all in day one for the Abyss but True Lies hasn’t aged well at all.
You got junk like this being released on Blu-ray in 4K UHD.
Yet great classics like Ben-Hur, Cleopatra, The Godfather, Indiana Jones, and the Lethal Weapon films have been passed over.
Unbelievable!
@timcat4843: "You got junk like this being released on Blu-ray in 4K UHD. Yet great classics like Ben-Hur, Cleopatra, The Godfather, Indiana Jones, and the Lethal Weapon films have been passed over. Unbelievable!"
None of those titles are with Universal, so it's not a question of them passing on all of those in favor of the Duck. Universal can only release what they have the rights for, and like any other label, a lot of their choices probably have to do with how much work, time, and expense is involved in getting it ready for a UHD release.
@vanscottie: "Because they didn't loose enough money the first time..."
They didn't release it on DVD until 2009. And then released it on BD in 2016. I'm guessing that their DVD sold well enough for them to release it on Blu-ray, and their Blu-ray sold well enough for them to think that a UHD will sell well.
Always keep in mind that success does not always go hand-in-hand with quality.
Just rewatched this recently for the first time since I was a kid. I like or love or at least have fun watching a lot of stuff that other people consider bad, but this was the rare movie that I found to be genuinely terrible and basically without any redeeming qualities. It doesn't even look that good (I feel like a lot of the massive budget went towards blow), and Huyck was never allowed to direct another film after this mess. So, yeah: baffling choice.
As a kid, I wasn’t allowed to watch Howard. When it came out in theaters I was about 9 or 10 years old. To this day, I still feel like I would be put on restriction for viewing it. My mother wouldn’t budge..I did all the, “But Mom…” and “So and so’s parents are letting them see it”-it was very clear, I was not permitted to see it 😂🤣
When the pioneers of 4K HDR technology were asked why we needed an even better resolution for motion pictures they replied with just three titles:-
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
2001 - A SPACE ODYSSEY
HOWARD THE DUCK
"Howard The Duck" is often considered within the highest tier of filmmaking excellence - Christopher Nolan in particular cites it as "the film he always wished each of his films would be" (especially "The Dark Knight"). Quentin Tarantino cites the diner’s "egg discussion" from "Howard" as the obvious influence to the opening of "Pulp Fiction".
Take solace in the fact that it is THIS title's availability in the format that will FINALY allow Criterion to commit to the format also. They have been fiercely trying to secure this title since the label's laserdisc days and when continually asked why they won't support 4K they always reply "Until Howard The Duck is on the format, how can we justify the lesser films from our catalogue being available also?"
To all those complaining above, it's time to forget your bitter bile towards the film that you secretly know is better than any film you've ever loved and just except the fact that HOWARD THE DUCK being made available in the 4K format is as inevitable as breathing air and is of course even more necessary.
"Howard the Duck" was made for 4K, it's visual storytelling and pure cinema at its finest. That the film didn't win the Palme d'Or is mind-boggling and possibly the biggest snub in film history.
i went to see this mainly because of George Lucas. What a piece of junk. His one disappointment.
And for all you True Lies fans, this movie will never be released on any video format. It is simply too politically incorrect to be acceptable today. That's a shame as it contains some fantastic performances. Keep your DVD's as that is all you'll ever have.
I guess I was one of the lucky ones that got True Lies on Vudu in HD. A blu-ray format would be welcomed though, even with the controversial storyline.
This movie has been trying to be a cult classic since it came out, and honestly, I'm sick of seeing shit about it. It sucked then, and it still sucks. But hey! Buy it anyway, right?! Of course! Because money.
@jayembee, the point is not the studio, it's that seemingly every studio has classics crying out for 4K remastering/representation (and some even needing just a BD), and yet they all regularly release films that were truly horrible.
Howard the Duck has its charm and if it makes it more likely we will get more titles on 4K BD I am all for it. As for True Lies that someone mentioned, that we as a society have become so sensitive that we can't even enjoy entertainment-movies from the past is just plain wrong imho. I have always viewed an entertainment-movie in a 'bubble of its own making' outside time and space. It's not meant to preach or be political. I think the reason True Lies (and The Abyss for that matter) have not been released on BD / 4K BD is, as others have mentioned, that Cameron is too busy with his Avatar projects.
@danny24: "Anything Marvel sells." - I wish somebody would pass that news on to Disney & Sony so I can complete my Marvel collections with:
The Amazing Spider-Man (1977-1979) complete series
Daredevil Season 3
Jessica Jones Seasons 2 & 3
Luke Cage Season 2
Iron Fist Season 2
The Punisher Seasons 1 & 2
The Defenders complete series
Inhumans complete series
Cloak & Dagger Seasons 1 & 2
Runaways Seasons 1, 2 & 3
Helstrom complete series
Agents Of Shield Seasons 2 - 7
The Falcon & The Winter Soldier
WandaVision
Legion Seasons 2 & 3 (on BD)
The Gifted Seasons 1& 2 (on BD)
The Marvel Super Heroes (1966)
And any other upcoming Disney + Marvel shows
I really don't think Howard The Duck was a bad movie at all, it's just that when it came out, General audiences were unfamiliar with him as a Marvel character.
Even when I went to see Guardians Of The Galaxy and Howard appeared at the end, I overheard a mother say "Howard The Duck!" and then her daughter said "Who is Howard The Duck?"
Also, there have been worse Marvel movies than Howard The Duck, like Man-Thing (2005).
@Mr Walker: "@jayembee, the point is not the studio, it's that seemingly every studio has classics crying out for 4K remastering/representation (and some even needing just a BD), and yet they all regularly release films that were truly horrible."
Universal has previously released on 4K (and excellently, at that) ANIMAL HOUSE, APOLLO 13, the Back to the Future trilogy, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, THE BIRDS, THE BLUES BROTHERS, the Bourne movies, DO THE RIGHT THING, FIELD OF DREAMS, GET OUT, GLADIATOR, JAWS, KING KONG, PARASITE, PSYCHO, REAR WINDOW, SERENITY, SPARTACUS, THE STING, and VERTIGO.
I think they've earned the right to release some lesser films now and then.
Personally, while I wouldn't hand out any prizes to HOWARD THE DUCK, I do think that Jeffrey Jones's performance as the Dark Overlord of the Universe makes everything else in the movie worth sitting through.
@timcat4843: Not to mention The Godfather trilogy hitting 4K in 2022. (Check the calendar for why.) Holding off on The Godfather, Coda -- a somewhat decent attempt to resurrect another kind of bomb -- until it hits 4K together with Godfathers I & II (and presumably original Godfather III).
This is a wonderfully silly and outrageously naughty movie. And it knows it. Great fun! Plus... Lea Thompson... John Barry (in The Living Daylights mode)... I don't get the hate!
@Rocklandsboy, I don’t know. I can name at least 50 - 100 movies on 4K that are worse than this, so there should be no surprise that it’s getting a release. Either it’s because people hate the fact that it has a fan base, or it’s because it’s the cool thing to do to bash this movie. Maybe, it’s because it’s a George Lucas film, and people love bashing him. But, honestly with a thousand bad movies made and many on 4K, I don’t get it either.
"In these galaxies, every possible reality exists, and what is reality on any one world is mere fantasy on all others. Here, all is real and all is illusion. What is, what was, and what will be start here with the words, "In the beginning, there was Howard the Duck!""
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