Displaying items by tag: Kino Lorber Studio Classics

All right, we’ll likely have at least one more review for you to check out later today, and we’re all working on more over the weekend. But in the meantime, we have a couple of quick site updates for you and some big announcement news to catch you all up on...

First, our own Michael Coate has delivered a great new History, Legacy & Showmanship column here at The Bits, featuring a look back at the theatrical release of Richard Lester’s Superman II. The retrospective includes an interview with our old friend Jim Bowers of the excellent Caped Wonder website. And we’d like to dedicate the piece to the memory of director Richard Donner, without whom the film would not be possible. So here’s Battle on Planet Houston: Remembering Superman II on its 40th Anniversary. Enjoy!

Also today, we’ve just posted a major update of our Release Dates & Artwork section, featuring lots of new Blu-ray and 4K UHD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from the retailer after clicking through to them from one our links, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really do appreciate it.

Now then, let’s have some news... [Read on here...]

We’re starting today with three more new disc reviews...

Stephen has given Rod Lurie’s The Last Castle a look on Blu-ray from Paramount Pictures, along with Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi’s Baise-moi on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Dennis has reviewed Cecil B. DeMille’s Four Frightened People (1934) on Blu-ray also from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

In announcement news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set Jon Chu’s In the Heights for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 8/31, with the Digital release expected on 7/30. The 4K will include HDR10 high dynamic range, while both the Blu-ray and 4K will include Dolby Atmos audio. You can see the 4K cover artwork at left. [Read on here...]

We’ve got some great Blu-ray and 4K release news to share with you all today...

Let’s start with Paramount... as expected, Paramount Home Entertainment has officially announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place: Part II later this month on 7/27, with the Digital only release expected tomorrow (on 7/13). You’ll also be able to buy a 2-Movie Collection on Blu-ray and Digital. A Quiet Place: Part II in 4K will include Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.

Extras will include 5 featurettes (Director’s Diary: Filming with John Krasinski, Pulling Back the Curtain, Regan’s Journey, Surviving the Marina, and Detectable Disturbance: Visual Effects and Sound Design). You can see the cover artwork above left and also below (complete with its Amazon pre-order link).

Speaking of Paramount, the studio has announced that it’s releasing Hardball, starring Keanu Reeves and Diane Lane, on Blu-ray for the first time on 9/21 in honor of the film’s 20th anniversary. Extras will include audio commentary by director Brian Robbins and writer John Gatins, The Making of Hardball, deleted scenes, the Hardball music video, interstitials, and the film’s theatrical trailer. You can see the cover art below. [Read on here...]

Well, it’s been a busy week of new title announcements here at The Bits. So let’s wrap things up with a few more here today. But first, more new disc reviews...

Our own Tim Salmons has just shared his thoughts on Vince Monton’s Windrider (1987), new on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment’s Ozploitation line-up. And he’s also checked out Mark Hartley’s excellent 2008 documentary Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!, also new on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment’s Ozploitation line.

Meanwhile, Dennis has turned in a review of David Miller’s Back Street (1961) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stephen rounds things out today with a look at Francine Parker’s F.T.A. (1972) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

So enjoy those and know that lots more disc reviews are on the way for next week, including some new 4K Ultra HD reviews from yours truly. [Read on here...]

We’re kicking off the new week with more disc reviews...

For those who missed it, I posted my thoughts on Wolfgang Petersen’s In the Line of Fire (from Sony) and Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong (from Warner Bros.) in 4K Ultra HD on Friday. They’re very different films, but each looks and sounds terrific, so do give them a look.

Also, Dennis has turned in his comments on George Sherman’s Larceny, a 1948 film noir that’s coming on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics on 7/13.

And Stephen has reviewed Arthur Barron’s Jeremy (1973) on Blu-ray, as recently released on the format by Fun City Editions.

We also have a brand new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate, which looks back at the theatrical release of Gordon Parks’ original Shaft in honor of the film’s 50th anniversary. The in-depth piece (four pages in all!) features a new roundtable interview with historians Josiah Howard and Lee Pfeiffer, as well as Shaft super-fan Chris Utley. You’ll find that here and it’s well worth a look. [Read on here...]

We’re starting today’s post as always with more new disc reviews...

In anticipation of Zack Snyder’s Justice League (I should have that 4K disc in hand for review sometime in the next few days), I’ve gone back to take a look at the director’s recently-remastered new 4K edition of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Ultimate Edition which was released in March by the Warner Archive Collection. The disc includes a revised HDR grade and a new variable aspect ratio presentation that includes 1.43 IMAX framing for select scenes. There’s a new commentary with the director as well, so it’s definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of the film.

Also today, I’ve given Gunpowder & Sky’s new US 4K release of the indie sci-fi film Prospect a look (an Ultra HD release that’s being distributed by Vinegar Syndrome). It offers a higher video bitrate than the German 4K release I’ve reviewed previously here, along with newly-produced extras and a nifty little in-universe booklet in the packaging. It’s highly recommended for fans of the film.

And because we’ve been getting a lot of questions about it: Yes, I will be reviewing Paramount and Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones: 4-Film Collection in 4K Ultra HD. The disc streets next Tuesday, we should have our review copy in hand sometime over the next several days. Rest assured, as soon as we have it, I’ll get that title reviewed here on The Bits post-haste. [Read on here...]

All right, I trust you all had a fine and long Memorial Day weekend—those of you here in the States at least. We’ve got some good Blu-ray and 4K news to report today, but first more new disc reviews...

Tim has posted his thoughts on John Guillerman’s King Kong (1976), now available as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

He’s also weighed in on Vincent Robert’s The Fear (1995) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Meanwhile, Dennis has turned in a look at George Abbott and Stanley Donen’s Damn Yankees (1958) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stephen has weighed in as well with a look Michael Ritchie’s Smile (1975) on Blu-ray from Fun City Editions. [Read on here...]

All right, we have some big catalog announcement news to report on today. But first, a few more new disc reviews...

Tim has posted his thoughts on Steve Wang’s Drive (1997), which is newly released on Blu-ray as part of the MVD Rewind Collection.

And Dennis has taken a look at another classic Mae West film, Lowell Sherman’s She Done Him Wrong (1933), which is coming on 6/29 from our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Just to let you know, I do expect to have a copy of Zack Snyder’s Justice League in 4K soon, imported from Zavvi, and I will be reviewing it here on The Bits as soon as it comes in, probably next week. And there are more Blu-ray and 4K reviews on the way for later next week after the long Memorial Day holiday here in the States. [Read on here...]

We have a quick news column for you here at The Bits today. But first, a couple more disc reviews...

Dennis has taken a look at Basil Dearden’s The Blue Lamp (1950), an Ealing Studios film noir now available on Blu-ray Disc from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

He’s also posted his thoughts on Florian Zeller’s The Father (2020), the recent film drama that won Anthony Hopkins an Oscar for Best Actor, newly-available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate. Enjoy!

Now then... our friends at Severin Films have announced four new Blu-ray titles due to street in August (on 8/24), including Cannibal Man (1972), No One Heard the Scream (1973), Eloy de la Iglesia’s Quinqui Collection (1980-84 – which includes Navajeros, El Pico, and El Pico 2), and—surprise!—Overboard (1987), the MGM film starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. You can visit their website here for additional details. [Read on here...]

We’re starting off the new week with a brand new review... and a brand new reviewer!

We’re very pleased to welcome Stephen Bjork to The Digital Bits team. Like many of us, Stephen is a lifelong student of film, who worked for many years as a district manager for the Video Update brick-and-mortar movie rental chain, back in the VHS, Beta, Laserdisc and early DVD days, before moving into sales. In that capacity, he attended many industry events—I probably bumped into him without realizing it at the old Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) trade shows. Stephen knows film, and he’s more than fluent with the state-of-the-art in home video technology, up to and including Digital and 4K Ultra HD. He’s also been a Digital Bits reader for many years, and a friend on social media into the bargain. So we’re confident he’s going to fit right in around here.

Stephen will be reviewing both Blu-ray and 4K titles for us, and he’s kicking that work off with his thoughts on an import 4K title that might be new to some of you: Robert D. Krzykowski’s The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot (2018). It’s a surprisingly great little drama starring Sam Elliott that a lot of you might have overlooked a I did. There was a US release of the film on Blu-ray and DVD from RLJE back in 2019, but our friends at Capelight Pictures in Germany actually did a proper physical Ultra HD release. And it turns out, it’s pretty damn good. You can import it from Amazon Germany and a few copies are available on US Amazon as well. The 4K works on all players, but note that the Blu-ray and DVD disc in the package are region locked. In any case, we hope you enjoy the review! And you can look forward to more from Stephen in the weeks and months ahead.

Welcome aboard, Stephen! [Read on here...]