Home Video (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, 4k)

By the power of Umbrella Entertainment! Australia’s indie distribution treasure has given us another banger of a release with 1987’s Masters of the Universe. Now we can all watch the live-action production from the defunct, yet beloved, Cannon Films pitting He-Man versus Skeletor battle for Eternia re-Mastered via a new Blu-ray!

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In the summer of 1987, Cannon Films doubled-dipped with two superhero films, including this one and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (which also received a 4K release as a part of the franchise’s quadrilogy boxset last year). The movies were released mere weeks apart and pulled in equally meager returns at the box office at approximately $17m each; less than their production budgets. Needless to say, they were both considered flops. Most cinephiles know Cannon’s history and recognize Superman and MOTU as the notable releases that were instrumental to the production company’s demise.

Speculation to the many reasons why the film was panned upon its initial release are due to it being released on the end of Masters’ early ’80s craze, having little screen time on Eternia, lack of familiar characters from the popular cartoon and toy line, and the peculiarly shot final battle between He-Man and Skeletor because Mattel cut bait during production. And as much as Dolph Lundgren has recently found a place in the hearts of many nowadays, his casting as He-Man was not considered a good move by critics as well as Mattel back then.

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So it appears that time has been kind to the film, for the most part. It is recognized in both the franchise’s expanded universe by fans and seems to reinvigorate nostalgia of that decade by those who continue to discover it nowadays. And here we are in 2024 with the box office failure-cum-cult classic live action MOTU film getting some new Blu-ray play from our friends Down Under!

The verdict: it’s safe to throw away your cardboard snap case DVD and any other older versions and upgrade to Umbrella’s outstanding Blu-ray transfer. The picture looks mint with the cleanest print ever made commercially available. The audio is 2.0, and while 5.0 would have been more than welcome, it is not a detractor from enjoying this release. But wow did Umbrella kill with that picture quality!

They didn’t skimp on the extras either. There is an all-new featurette on the planned sequel that never saw the light of day. We hear from some players behind that doomed project, such as the late Albert Pyun (Cyborg). Other bonus features include director commentary, extended interviews from Electric Boogaloo, archival features, a Cannon Films reel, trailers and even an Easter Egg. The almost-immediately sold-out Collector’s edition included a 48-page booklet set of lobby cards, rigid slipcase and a poster. So if that set piques your interest, unfortunately you will have to hunt for it on the secondary market since it was adios during the pre-order stage.

Good journey, everyone! If you are a fan of this film or even slightly curious about checking this one out for the first time, you will most certainly get the bang for your buck.