Displaying items by tag: The Digital Bits
Arrow’s September Blu-ray slate has Mallrats, plus new KL Studio Classics & Czech New Wave on Criterion Channel
We have a new Blu-ray review to close out the week here at The Bits:
Also, in announcement news today, our friends at Arrow Video have just revealed a nice batch of Blu-ray titles for release in September.
Among them are Kevin Smith’s Mallrats (1995), Miguel Llansó’s striking and surreal film Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway (2019), a box set of Kinji Fukasaku and Takashi Miike’s Japanese yakuza classics Graveyards of Honor (1975 and 2002), and Bernard Rose’s film business satire Ivansxtc (2002). [Read on here...]
- Criterion Collection
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Dennis Seuling
- Urban Cowboy: 40th Anniversary Edition BD review
- Arrow Video September slate
- Mallrats BD
- Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway
- Graveyards of Honor
- Ivansxtc
- Kino Lorber Studio Classics
- The Criterion Channel
- Czechoslovak New Wave of the 1960s
Superman: Man of Tomorrow, District 9 4K, Apocalypto, Westworld: Season 3, Criterion’s Ghost Dog & more
Today’s is a quick update, but we do have a couple interesting items to report...
First, Tim has turned in another new Blu-ray Disc review, this of Gene Fowler Jr.’s B-movie classic I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) from Paramount via Aussie indie Imprint Films/Via Vision Entertainment. The disc is ALL REGION.
In announcement news today, Warner Bros. and DC have just officially set the DC Universe animated movie Superman: Man of Tomorrow for release on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 9/8 (the Digital release is set for 8/23).
Extras on both disc versions will include Lobo: Natural Force of Chaos, Martian Manhunter: Lost and Found, Look Back: Justice League vs. The Fatal Five, Look Back: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series – The Main Man, Part I, From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series – The Main Man, Part II, trailers for Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, and Superman: Red Son, and A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie. You can see the cover artwork above left and also below. [Read on here...]
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- Tim Salmons
- I Married a Monster from Outer Space BD review
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow 4K
- DC Universe
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Warner Bros Home Entertainment
- Neill Blomkamp
- District 9 4K
- Criterion Collection
- Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai
- Batman: Death in the Family
- Mel Gibson's Apocalypto
- 21 Jump Street 4K
- Westworld Season Three: The New World 4K
- Jim Jarmusch
Disney surprise: Home Alone & Hocus Pocus on 4K in September, plus Samsung BD player issues & more
We start today with another new disc review for your reading enjoyment: Tim has taken a look at Nico Mastorakis’ The Wind (1986) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video and he’s got some thoughts on it for you. Do give it a look.
Now then... we have a little bit of a surprise for you today on the 4K front. Retail sources are reporting that Walt Disney Studios is preparing to release Kenny Ortega’s Hocus Pocus (1993) and Chris Columbus’ Home Alone (1990) on Blu-ray in September, presumably in time for the holidays.
This is interesting because while the titles are popular and have certainly sold well on DVD and Blu-ray, they’re somewhat unlikely titles for release on 4K. Home Alone is also a Fox title. And both are live action catalog films, a category that Disney has yet to really exploit on the physical 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. [Read on here...]
Cinema Paradiso in 4K, new Blu-ray announcements, great podcasts & more, plus RIP Ian Holm/Joel Schumacher
All right, it’s been a few days since my last news update and there are a variety of reasons for that which I’ll get into in tomorrow’s post. In the meantime, let’s get caught up...
First, we’ve got some new reviews for you all to enjoy. Tim has posted no less than four Blu-ray reviews since last week, including his thoughts on Terence Fisher’s 1961 Hammer Films classic The Curse of the Werewolf from Scream Factory, Fritz Bottger’s Horrors of Spider Island (1960) from Severin Films, James Signorelli’s Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) from Arrow Video, finally Sean Cunningham’s Friday the 13th (1980) in a new 40th Anniversary Steelbook Edition from Paramount. Enjoy!
Now then, there’s not a lot of major announcement news to report at the moment, but we do have some interesting odds and ends...
Let’s start on the 4K front: Arrow Video has announced the release of Giuseppe Tornatore’s beloved Cinema Paradiso (1988) on both 4K Ultra HD and regular Blu-ray on 9/28. [Read on here...]
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- Tim Salmons
- Cinema Paradiso 4K
- Arrow Video
- Ian Holm RIP
- Joel Schumacher RIP
- The Curse of the Werewolf BD review
- Horrors of Spider Island BD review
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark BD review
- Friday the 13th: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook BD review
- Warner Archive Collection
- Stargirl: The Complete First Season
- Ghost: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Clueless: 25th Anniversary Edition
- Jack Ryan: Season Two
- The Birth of Ultraman
- Orange Is the New Black: Season Seven
- Proximity
- True Lies
- Josh Gad: Reunited Apart
- Back to the Future
- The Lord of the Rings cast reunion
- Back to the Future cast reunion
- Goonies cast reunion
- Ghostbusters cast reunion
- Inglorious Treksperts podcast
- Cinematalk Podcast
- Team Deakins podcast
- Robservations
- Isaac Asimov's Foundation Apple TV trailer
When the Master of Suspense Became the Master of Horror: Remembering “Psycho” on its 60th Anniversary
“Psycho should be remembered as the gold standard of psychological horror thrillers because it respects the audience by paying as much attention to delivering memorable, relatable characters, smart dialogue, a gripping plot, and emotional punch as well as jump scares.” — Stephen Rebello, author of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 60th anniversary of the release of Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock’s popular psychological horror film starring Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, owner-manager of the Bates Motel.
Psycho, which also starred Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, was released sixty years ago this month. For the occasion The Bits features a package of statistics and box-office data that places the movie’s performance in context, along with passages from vintage film reviews, a reference/historical listing of the movie’s major-market first-run presentations, and, finally, an interview segment with a film historian who reflects on the film six decades after its debut. [Read on here...]
Criterion’s September slate includes Lynch’s Elephant Man, along with Claire Denis, Jules Dassin, and more
Welcome to the new week!
We’re starting things off today with a new Blu-ray review from our own Dennis Seuling. He’s given Ryan Nicholson’s Gutterballs (2008) a look on disc for you from the folks at Unearthed Films.
This is just a quick update to bring you word that The Criterion Collection has just dropped news of their September Blu-ray and DVD title slate.
And as usual, it’s a good one, including the likes of David Lynch, Claire Denis, Francesco Rosi, Jules Dassin, and more of Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project.
The full list includes the following... [Read on here...]
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- The Criterion Collection
- September 2020 Bluray and DVD slate
- David Lynch
- Claire Denis
- Jules Dassin
- Gutterballs BD review
- Francesco Rosi
- The Naked City BD
- Brute Force BD
- Beau travail BD
- Christ Stopped at Eboli BD
- Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No 3 BD
- The Elephant Man BD
- Outlander: Season Five BD
- The Wind Rises GKids BD
- Children of the Sea BD
- The Criterion Spines Project
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi 4K
- Solo: A Star Wars Story 4K
- Dennis Seuling
Studio Canal reveals Bill & Ted’s Excellent Ultra HD, plus Sony’s Lawrence of Arabia 4K extras disc update
Okay, just a few quick things for you guys this afternoon, as I’ve got a stack of discs that need reviewing and there aren’t enough hours in the day (so I’d better get started)...
First, we have two new Blu-ray reviews for you to enjoy. Dennis has checked out Mary Rydell’s Even Money (2006) on disc from MVD and he’s also offered up his thoughts on William Castle’s Let’s Kill Uncle (1966) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Enjoy!
Now then, here’s the big news today (and it’s pretty good): Our friend Simon Brew (of the excellent Film Stories website in the UK) is reporting that Studio Canal plans to release a new 4K Ultra HD restoration of the original Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure later this year (likely in August). And indeed, the official Studio Canal UK Twitter feed has confirmed it (here).
This is no doubt tied to the theatrical release of the long-awaited sequel, Bill & Ted Face the Music, the first trailer for which can be seen below. [Read on here...]
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice in 4K, plus Wind Rises, more catalog Blu-ray, and a word on MGM & Gone with the Wind
All right, a quick update today with a bit more release news...
First up though, we have two more new disc reviews for you today. Tim has checked out Richard Jefferies’ Blood Tide (1982) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video. And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Paul Wegener and Carl Boese’s classic German expressionist tale The Golem (1920) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics. Do give them a look.
Also, we’ve just posted a new update of the Release Dates & Artwork section here at The Bits thanks to our own Russell Hammond, and it’s full of all the recently-announced Blu-ray and 4K titles. As always, whenever you order anything from Amazon through our links, you’re helping to support The Bits and we really do appreciate it.
In other news today, here’s a nice surprise: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is releasing Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice in 4K Ultra HD on 9/1! It looks like two versions will be available: A wide release standard edition and an Amazon exclusive deluxe giftset. You can see the cover art at left and also below. [Read on here...]
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Tim Salmons
- Dennis Seuling
- Blood Tide BD review
- The Golem BD review
- Release Dates & Artwork update
- Tim Burton
- Beetlejuice 4K
- Amazon exclusive
- Sherlock Holmes 4K
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 4K
- The Wind Rises
- Studio Ghibli
- GKids
- Shout! Factory
- Eureka!
- Masters of Cinema
- Criss Cross
- A Foreign Affair
- MVD Rewind Collection
- Split Second
- Evil Under the Sun
- DefCon 4
- MGM distribution
- Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- HBO Max
- Gone with the Wind
Scream bows Event Horizon, plus new Mill Creek and KL Studio Classics catalog titles, a bit of MGM news & more
Today’s update is a quick one, but we do have some good catalog news to share with all of you...
First up, Scream Factory has just officially revealed that they’re releasing Paul W. S. Anderson’s sci-fi/horror film Event Horizon (1997) as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on 9/29 (that street date is tentative, as the pandemic is causing a little turmoil with their release schedule). The good news is, it will be mastered from a new 4K scan of the film and there will be new extras.
Also newly revealed: Scream will be releasing a Ghost Ship: Collector’s Edition on 9/22, and will be reissuing the original The Vincent Price Collection Blu-ray package on 9/22. This will include the same films, but due to rights issues the original vintage introductions have to be removed. However, Scream is apparently creating some new content to ease the loss.
With GKids, Shout! Factory is also releasing a pair of Japanese anime titles on Blu-ray in September, including Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You (on 9/15—note that Shinkai is also the director of the popular Your Name) and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises (on 9/22). [Read on here...]
Arrow UK’s The Game, Lawrence & Strangelove 4K reviews, interesting odds & ends, and Hellenica: Leaders & Legends!
We’re kicking off a new week with a pair of 4K Ultra HD reviews from Sony’s terrific new Columbia Classics 4K Collection: Volume 1 box set, which streets on June 16th. Now available for your reading pleasure are my thoughts on Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove (1964) and David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Both look and sound better than ever. Before you ask, these films are ONLY available in this box set for now, and it does not appear that Sony has any plans to release them individually this year (though it’s certainly possible that could change later in 2020 or 2021).
Also up here at The Bits today is a review of Dorothy Arzner’s Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) on Blu-ray from Criterion by Dennis, and my own look at Kino Lorber’s animated The Inspector (1965-69) on Blu-ray—part of a larger series of reviews on the DePatie-Freleng Collection I hope to post over the coming weeks.
In other news today, Arrow Films has announced a UK only release of David Fincher’s The Game for Blu-ray on July 24th (SRP £44.99). It’s limited to 3K units and will include a 200-page hardback book. On this side of the Pond, Universal controls the title, so we’ll have to wait and see if Arrow Video has licensed it for release here in the States at some point. [Read on here...]
- Dennis Seuling
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Lawrence of Arabia 4K review
- Dr Strangelove 4K review
- Dance Girl Dance BD review
- The Inspector BD review
- DePatie Freleng Collection
- The Game BD
- Arrow Films UK
- David Fincher
- JW Rinzler
- The Making of Star Wars Enhanced Edition eBook
- George Lucas and Christopher Nolan Star Wars DGA interview
- UW Cinematheque
- Cinematalk Podcast
- Schawn Belston
- Scott DeMers
- Mr B Games
- Hellenica: Story of Greece board game Kickstarter
- Hellenica: Leaders & Legends expansion