Displaying items by tag: Richard Donner
Updates on Blade, Basic Instinct, Bill & Ted Face the Music, Lord of the Rings & Hobbit, all in 4K
All right, we’ve got some very interesting ground to cover today...
First, we’ve posted a review of Richard Donner’s Timeline (2003), which has just been released on Blu-ray for the first time ever by Paramount. Our own Dr. Adam Jahnke reviewed the DVD way back in 2004, so I’ve revived his film review and added my own comments on the Blu-ray’s A/V quality. Timeline is cheesy and paper-thin to be sure (I would never call it a great film, or really even a very good one), but I still kind of enjoy it. So it’s nice to finally have it on Blu-ray, especially for just $9.99 SRP.
Also, later today or tomorrow morning I expect to finish my review of Zack Snyder’s 300 in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. So watch for that to be posted very soon.
Now then, in release news today, we’ve got a few things for you. None of this is yet official—as in no press releases have been issued, but we expect them to be shortly—but we’ve got updates today on a few new 4K catalog titles that we know many of you have been eagerly awaiting. [Read on here...]
- Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- 4K Ultra HD
- Bluray
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- Warner Bros Home Entertainment
- Germany
- Blade 4K
- StudioCanal
- Basic Instinct 4K
- The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy 4K
- The Hobbit: The Motion Picture Trilogy 4K
- Peter Jackson
- Weta Digital
- Timeline BD review
- Richard Donner
- Dr Adam Jahnke
- 300 4K
- Zack Snyder
- Bill & Ted Face the Music 4K
The Goonies, Beetlejuice & Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films are now official for 4K, plus Grant Imahara RIP
We’ve got still more release news to report today, though much if it we’ve already talked about here at The Bits. The point is, it’s all now official.
First up, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just set four catalog titles for release on 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray and Digital Copy) on 9/1...
These include Richard Donner’s The Goonies (1985), Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988), and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011). All four were shot on film, so appear to have been mastered from new 4K scans of the original camera negatives (the two Sherlock Holmes titles were shot on film but finished as 2K DIs, so it’s possible new 4K DIs were built from scans of the camera neg and VFX film outs).
All four titles will include the previous Blu-ray extras. In addition, Beetlejuice will offer a new English Dolby Atmos sound mix. There’s no indication of Dolby Vision HDR in Warner’s press release, so assume HDR10 for the time being. Both The Goonies and Beetlejuice will also be available in new Deluxe 4K Giftsets exclusive to Amazon.com. [Read on here...]
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Warner Bros Home Entertainment
- The Goonies: 35th Anniversary 4K
- Beetlejuice 4K
- Sherlock Holmes 4K
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 4K
- Amazon exclusive 4K giftset
- Richard Donner
- Tim Burton
- Guy Ritchie
- Grant Imahara Rest in Peace
- MythBusters
- Jeff Kleist
- Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure 4K
- Studio Canal
- Alejandro Jodorowsky Collection
- Abkco
- Arrow Video UK
Verisimilitude: Remembering “Superman: The Movie” on its 40th Anniversary
“Superman: The Movie radiated magic in 1978 and continues to captivate the world 40 years later. This December, surely multitudes of fans will be watching Superman—via streaming, DVD, Blu-ray or the new 4K UHD—with the same hope, optimism, and innocence they felt the first time they watched in awe as Christopher Reeve soared out of the Fortress of Solitude and into the world.” — Jim Bowers, CapedWonder.com
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 40th anniversary of the release of Superman, Richard Donner’s classic superhero adventure starring Christopher Reeve (Somewhere in Time, Monsignor). The year 2018 also marks the 80th anniversary of Superman’s debut in Action Comics.
Often described as the first modern-day superhero movie, Superman (aka Superman: The Movie) was a box-office smash and winner of numerous awards and, of course, inspired a series of sequels and spin-offs as well as, arguably, decades of superhero/comicbook-themed media. [Read on here...]
- John Williams
- Mike Matessino
- Joseph McBride
- film retrospective
- The Digital Bits
- Michael Coate
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- Jim Bowers
- Caped Wonder
- Kevin Burns
- Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
- Superman soundtrack CD
- Bruce Scivally
- Superman on Film, Television, Radio & Broadway
- Larry Tye
- 40th anniversary
- Superman: The Movie
- Richard Donner
- Christopher Reeve
- Gene Hackman
- Superman: The HighFlying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero
- Marlon Brando
- Margot Kidder
- Glenn Ford
- Ned Beatty
- Jackie Cooper
- Terrance Stamp
- Phyllis Thaxter
- Trevor Howard
- Vallerie Perrine
- Maria Schell
- Susannah York
- Jeff East
- Marc McClure
- Sarah Douglas
- Jack O’Halloran
- Geoffrey Unsworth
- Mario Puzo
- 70mm
Superman & Rambo 4K updates, plus The Mangler from Scream & more BD reviews
All right, we’ve got your first look at what might be the cover artwork for Warner’s Superman: The Movie 4K Ultra HD release… by way of the official German retail cover artwork seen at left.
We know that the disc will include the theatrical version of the film in 4K, with Dolby Atmos audio.
There is also the possibility that the longer cuts will be included in the package on Blu-ray only.
The German street date is November 8, but we suspect it will be an October release here in the States.
We should know more soon, when Warner makes the official announcement, so stay tuned. [Read on here...]
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Tim Salmons
- David Steigman
- Dennis Seuling
- Superman: The Movie 4K
- The Rambo Trilogy 4K
- Warner Bros Home Entertainment
- Lionsgate
- Scream Factory
- The Mangler BD
- Shocking Dark BD review
- The Tree of Life BD review
- The Horror of Party Beach BD review
- The Criterion Collection
- Severin Films
- Richard Donner
- Christopher Reeve
Return to Jefferson High: Remembering “Mr. Novak” on its 55th Anniversary
“The Mr. Novak series is among the finest programs to be produced in the 1960s. It ranks with The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Defenders and others as an absolute pinnacle of television production.” — Chuck Harter, author of Mr. Novak: An Acclaimed Television Series
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 55th anniversary of the premiere of Mr. Novak, the acclaimed but little seen television series starring James Franciscus (Beneath the Planet of the Apes) and Dean Jagger (Twelve O’Clock High) which ran on NBC from 1963 to 1965.
Highly influential on the education community, the series featured still-timely themes, some early-career directing by Richard Donner (Superman, Lethal Weapon) and Mark Rydell (The Rose, On Golden Pond) and a bevy of now-recognizable guest stars including Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant), Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys), Tony Dow (Leave it to Beaver), Walter Koenig (Star Trek), Martin Landau (Mission: Impossible, Space: 1999), June Lockhart (Lost in Space), Burgess Meredith (Batman, Rocky), and Marion Ross (Happy Days). [Read on here...]
- The Digital Bits
- Michael Coate
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- Mr Novak
- 55th Anniversary
- James Franciscus
- NBC
- classic TV series
- Richard Donner
- Mark Rydell
- Ed Asner
- Tony Dow
- Beau Bridges
- Walter Koenig
- Martin Landau
- June Lockhart
- Burgess Meredith
- Marion Ross
- Dean Jagger
- Chuck Harter
- Mr Mr Novak: An Acclaimed Television Series
Still Believing a Man Can Fly
REMEMBERING “SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE” ON ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY
It has been a big year for the Man of Steel. The year 2013 marked the 75th anniversary of Superman’s debut (in Action Comics issue #1), a new movie was made starring Henry Cavill and directed by Zack Snyder, and, of course, it represents the 35th anniversary of the release of the classic cinematic adventure starring Christopher Reeve and directed by Richard Donner. The Digital Bits celebrates the occasion with a look back at Superman: The Movie’s opening weekend and features a reflective interview with some Superman authorities. [Read on here...]
Gimme Shelter & City Lights BD reviews, new pre-orders & see Ladyhawke in L.A. with Richard Donner!
Anyone interested in some new Blu-ray reviews to start the week? Our own Tim Salmons has checked in today with a pair of them featuring a look at a couple of Criterion titles in high-definition, including David Maysles and Albert Maysles’ Rolling Stones concert film Gimme Shelter and also the new special edition of Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights. Both are now available on BD, so enjoy!
Meanwhile, pre-orders are now on for Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips from Sony at this link on Amazon. Disney’s Thor: The Dark World and Summit Entertainment’s Ender’s Game are also both up for pre-order on BD on Amazon. [Read on here…]
- Bluray Disc
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- Ladyhawke
- Richard Donner
- Lauren Shuler Donner
- Cliff Stephenson
- Borgen
- Shadow on the Mesa
- McConkey
- Freezer
- The Big Gundown
- Sergio Sollima
- Night Train to Lisbon
- The Fifth Estate
- In a World
- Captain Phillips
- Thor: The Dark World
- Ender's Game
- Gimme Shelter
- City Lights
- The Rolling Stones
- Charlie Chaplin
- Criterion