On the Shelf: ‘Excalibur,’ ‘Westworld,’ ‘Network,’ ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’ Highlight the 4K Physical Media releases for the Week of February 23
The last week of February brings four fascinating, exciting features from our friends over at Arrow Video and the Criterion Collection; all four arriving on 4K Blu-ray for the first time. First up are the two selections from Arrow, Excalibur and Westworld, which have become influential films of their genre, eras. For Excalibur, it follows the definitive cinematic telling of the life and enduring legend of King Arthur, from birth to death and beyond. Starting from the simple of premise of a sword in a stone that would choose the King of England, the film is a journey into the wonders and horrors of the story of Arthur, the knights of the round table, the golden age of Camelot, the quest for the Holy Grail and of course, the wizard, Merlin. With an extraordinary cast that includes Helen Mirren, Gabriel Byrne, Nicol Williamson and Liam Neeson, director John Boorman gives a muddy, blood action film gleaming with rich visuals throughout, perfect for a 4K upgrade that includes the theatrical and extended cut, with special features like newly filmed interviews with director John Boorman, actor Charley Boorman, creative associate Neil Jordan, production designer Anthony Pratt, a brand new featurette by film historians Howard S. Berger and Kevin Marr, and a 50-minute retrospective documentary in which cast and crew look back on the making of the film.
For Westworld, novelist-turned-filmmaker Michael Crichton made his directorial debut with Westworld, a groundbreaking fusion of science fiction and action-thriller that would prove decades ahead of its time, laying the groundwork for his later hit Jurassic Park, changing the face of sci-fi, and being remade into a popular HBO series just a few years ago. Set on a futuristic resort where the wealthy can live out their wildest fantasies, a malfunction sends the park’s android off script, causing danger to spread when man meets the creations they made. Slick, suspenseful, and eerily prescient, Westworld combines a gripping man-versus-machine chase with thought-provoking questions about technology, control, and the price of playing God. Packed with atmosphere and memorable performances, this cult classic remains a landmark in genre cinema. Alongside a 4K upgrade lies special features that include a newly filmed conversation between actor Richard Benjamin and producer/screenwriter Larry Karaszewski, a brand-new video interview with actor James Brolin, an archival behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film from 1973, Beyond Westworld: the 48-minute pilot episode of the 1980 follow-up television series, and more.
Over at Criterion, one of the most important films of the 1970s gets its moment to shine with a 4K release, as well as an underrated gem within the filmography of the Coen Brothers. With Network comes the most relevant social satire of all time, as director Sidney Lumet takes the brilliant script from Paddy Chayefsky, and shines a light on our rotten, media obsessive society once and for all. At a struggling television network, ambitious executive Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) finds herself with a hit on her hands when disgruntled newscaster Howard Beale (Peter Finch) goes off script, transforming himself into a mad-as-hell prophet railing against the ills of modern society. Garnering four Oscars, including for Dunaway, Finch, and Chayefsky, this no-holds-barred New Hollywood classic remains as fearlessly funny as it is unnervingly relevant. Also, a timely watch with the passing of veteran actor Robert Duvall, a vital member of this incredible ensemble cast. This is a vital buy for all collectors and lovers of cinema.
Last up is The Man Who Wasn’t There, Coen Brothers peer into the existential abyss of the atomic age in this riveting, profound noir thriller. In a performance of masterful understatement, Billy Bob Thornton stars as a disaffected barber in 1940s California whose suspicion that his wife (Frances McDormand) is cheating on him leads him down a crooked path of blackmail and murder. Fusing the expressionistic black and white and hard-boiled poetry of classic noir with their own idiosyncratic feeling for sinister, surreal Americana, Joel and Ethan Coen craft an arresting vision of the cruelty of fate and the mystery of our place in the cosmos. Featuring a new conversation between the Coens and author Megan Abbott, this is a must own for anyone who is a fan of the brother’s body of work.
Other Notable Releases for the Week of February 23, 2026 include:
At Close Ranger (1986, 4K Blu-ray, Cinématographe)
Prison on Fire I & II (1987-1991, 4K Blu-ray, Shout Factory)
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