Displaying items by tag: John Wayne

Heads up, Bits readers!

I just wanted to jump in here this afternoon to share a bit of news and a bunch of new disc reviews that we’ve prepared for today.

First, I’m sure that most of you have seen today’s first news update here by now: Lucasfilm and Disney just announced the 4K Ultra HD Steelbook release of Ron Howard’s Willow (1988).

Call it a hunch, but I have a strong suspicion that this release is meant to set up a second 4K Steelbook release coming in 2025, specifically of the more recent Disney+ streaming series Willow (2022). That show was cancelled and pulled from Disney+, allegedly for cost-cutting reasons, and a good way to try to recoup a little of that investment would be to sell it on 4K disc and possibly Blu-ray. So I think that’s a pretty good possibility next year.

Meanwhile, here at the site today, we’ve just posted our weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section (you’ll find that here) featuring all of the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover and Amazon.com pre-order links. (Thanks to our own Russell Hammond for his work on that.)

Speaking of which, John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) is finally up for pre-order on Amazon in 4K for the stunning price of just $29.99... [Read on here...]

Heads up Bits readers…

I just wanted to check in here today to let you all know that we’re working on new disc reviews, the first of which should start going live here on the website over the weekend.

There’s not a ton of release news to report today, however I am happy to say that the SRPs for the new Star Wars Disney+ 4K Ultra HD Steelbooks (due on 12/3) have finally come down to rational levels Amazon. So here are the pre-order links:

The Mandalorian: The Complete Third Season (4K)

Ahsoka: The Complete First Season (4K)

Hawkeye: The Complete First Season (4K)

Loki: The Complete Second Season (4K)

Also today, it appears that the Warner Archive Collection’s new 4K and Blu-ray release of John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) have now been listed on Amazon, but the pre-orders are not yet live. But here are those links... [Read on here...]

Heads up, Bits readers! We’ve got big breaking news to report this afternoon!

Our friends at the Warner Archive Collection are about to announce their first-ever 4K Ultra HD catalog release, and it’s none other than John Ford’s legendary Western classic The Searchers (1956)!

The film stars John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, and Ward Bond.

The title will be available on 12/17 as both a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo (SRP $29.99) and a separate Blu-ray Disc release (SRP $21.99), each meticulously restored and remastered from the film’s original VistaVision negative!

Better still, the 4K disc has been compressed and authored by the fine team at Fidelity in Motion (FIM), with encoding specifically designed to fit UHD100 and BD50 discs, thus allowing for maximum data rates.

The 4K disc itself will include only the film and the audio commentary, so the image will have plenty of room to breathe. And the 4K disc will also be compatible with both Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range.

Both the 4K and Blu-ray will include the film’s original mono audio track, “restored from the best available source materials to provide a clean and dynamic audio presentation.” [Read on here...]

Good afternoon, everyone! We’re well into the week before Christmas now and—as seems to be true every year—the period right around the holiday tend to be packed with review work, as all of the big fourth quarter titles keep rolling in. Last week was certainly that way, and this week is proving to be no different. So with that in mind, here’s a look at...

Stephen’s review of Gareth Edwards’ terrific sci-fi tale The Creator (2023) in 4K Ultra HD from 20th Century Studios via Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

Tim’s look at Fred Dekker’s The Monster Squad (1987) in 4K Ultra HD form Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Andrzej Zulawski’s Possession: Collector’s Edition (1981) in 4K Ultra HD from Umbrella Entertainment, and ALF: The Complete Series on DVD from Shout! Factory.

Dennis’ take on Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel’s Deadgirl: 15th Anniversary Edition (2008) on Blu-ray from Dark Sky Films via Unearthed Films.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Georg Fenady’s Arnold (1973) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Of course, that’s not all. We’re still working on several more new disc reviews that we hope to share before the Christmas holiday. For my own part, I’m currently checking out Umbrella Entertainment’s new Frank Herbert’s Dune & Children of Dune: Collector’s Edition Blu-ray box set, and I expect any time now have the new Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water – Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HDs in hand for review. So watch for those and more in the days ahead. [Read on here...]

We have a few more new disc reviews for you all to enjoy here at The Bits today...

Stephen has reviewed the animated All-Star Superman in 4K Ultra HD from Warner and DC, as well as Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine Bear on Blu-ray from Universal. The less said about that last one the better, but tip of the hat to Stephen for taking one for the team on this title.

Also, Stuart has turned in his thoughts on George Sherman’s Tomahawk (1951) and the anthology title If I Had a Million (1932), both on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

There’s not a lot of major release news today, but we do have a couple items to report...

Undercrank Productions is releasing Raymond Griffith: The Silk Hat Comedian on Blu-ray + DVD on 6/13. The set presents two of the star’s surviving silent comedies, Paths to Paradise (1925) and You’d Be Surprised (1926), in new 2K restoration scanned from 35 mm elements in the possession of the Library of Congress. Each will feature new musical scores by Ben Model. [Read on here...]

[Editor’s Note: Be sure to follow us on Twitter @thedigitalbits @BillHuntBits and on Facebook here and here. And you can help support The Bits by pre-ordering Blu-rays and other items from Amazon through this link.]

All right, it’s a bit of a slow day news-wise, but we do have a little bit of announcement news for you...

First up, Cinelicious Pics has announced that they’re releasing Eiichi Yamamoto’s Japanese animated classic Belladonna of Sadness (1973) on Blu-ray on 7/12 (SRP $39.99). It features a new 4K restoration of the film, a new video interview with the director, vintage interviews with the art director and composer, several trailers, and a 16-page booklet. The film has never been released in the States before – think of it in the vein of Fantastic Planet, Heavy Metal, or Wizards. Note that this is an underground film, however, and is definitely not for children. There’s explicit sexuality and brutal violence, but also extraordinary animation for its time. You can read Glenn Kenny’s review of the current revival screening here at The New York Times (it opens today in L.A. through Cinefamily).  [Read on here…]

Anybody know a good screenwriter? Here’s true scenario that would offer a perfect studio pitch.

And it’s a thriller, in a way, with a determined adventurer racing against time to seek justice for a hero from a past generation – one who sacrificed finances, reputation and goodwill to slay a dragon that was, in the long run, perhaps beyond even his reach.

This story is about John Wayne. This story is about Robert Harris. This story is about America and the importance of its cultural maintenance. And, ok, it’s also about personal obsession. Duke Wayne did what he said. No backing out. No cutting corners. No half assed. [Read on here...]

So... you might recall that last week I had dinner with film restoration expert (and former Bits contributor) Robert A. Harris and some other friends. (You can find a complete archive of his work on the original Digital Bits website here.) Robert, as it happens, is in town working on another fine classic film restoration project which will be announced in due course. But during our conversation last week, Robert alerted us to the fact that another beloved classic film is not faring nearly so well. That film, as you might already suspect, is The Alamo (1960), directed by and starring the legendary John Wayne. [Read on here…]

This was all we needed to hear: The DUKE was coming to Oklahoma City.

It was the year of our Lord, 1972 and The National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City (now called the National Cowboy Museum and Western Heritage Center) hosted every year a grand event called the Western Heritage Awards, where they gave a trophy called “The Wrangler” to outstanding theatrical and television Westerns and the winner this particular year was a film called “The Cowboys,” starring, well, you know who.  [Read on here...]