Displaying items by tag: The Digital Bits
New announcements from Arrow Video and Kino Lorber, plus a look at the new Africa Screams restoration & more
We’re kicking things off today with a new Blu-ray review from Dennis...
He’s taken a look at Jon Avnet’s Three Christs (2017) now on disc from IFC Films and Shout! Factory. The film stars Richard Gere, Peter Dinklage, Bradley Whitford, and Walton Goggins. Do give it a look.
Meanwhile today, Arrow Video US has announced its June 2020 Blu-ray slate, which is set to include François Reichenbach’s American as Seen by a Frenchman on 6/2, Harley Cokeliss’ Dream Demon and Tomu Uchida’s The Mad Fox on 6/23, and a new Limited Edition of Sergio Corbucci’s Django on 6/30.
From Arrow’s announcement: “The film is presented here in an exclusive new restoration with a wealth of extras including the newly restored bonus feature Texas Adios, which also stars Franco Nero, and was released as Django 2 in several territories.” [Read on here...]
The Goonies 4K is up for pre-order on Amazon, plus new Blu-ray reviews and word of more 4K catalog titles
Well... what a fu@%ing year the last week has been here in the States. Here’s hoping the new week fares a little better.
We begin it with a little bit of 4K Ultra HD release news, and some new reviews too.
Let’s get to the reviews first...
Our very own Tim Salmons has checked out Michael Curtiz’s King Creole (1958), a classic Elvis title now on Blu-ray from Paramount. Sounds like this one is a little better than To Catch a Thief was, but it does seem that the Paramount Presents line is off to a bit of a rough start. Here’s hoping the studio gets it together on these.
Tim has also posted reviews of John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles (1984) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video and Norman Z. McLeod’s Alice in Wonderland (1933) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Do give them a look. [Read on here...]
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Tim Salmons
- The Goonies 4K preorders
- King Creole BD review
- Alice in Wonderland (1933) BD review
- Sixteen Candles (Arrow) BD review
- 4K Ultra HD Release List
- Blue Underground
- The House by the Cemetery 4K
- The New York Ripper 4K
- Spartacus 4K
- Full Metal Jacket 4K
- Sherlock Holmes 4K
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 4K
- Westworld Season Three: The New World 4K
- Stanley Kubrick
Arrow reveals Pitch Black & Flash Gordon in 4K, plus new KL Studio Classics & Paramount Presents titles
All right, we’ve got a little surprise for you all today...
Arrow Video has just joined Team 4K! They’ve apparently licensed the North American rights from Studio Canal to Flash Gordon (1980) in the US and Canada and are delivering the film on both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD in August. Each will be available in both regular and Limited Editions.
They’ve also licensed the rights (from Universal) to David Twohy’s Pitch Black (2000) on Blu-ray and 4K in North America and the UK and are bringing that title out in August as well!
Additional Blu-ray only titles coming in August from Arrow Video are a double feature of Yasuzo Masumura’s Black Test Car (1962) and The Black Report (1963) and Richard Driscoll’s The Comic (1985). The Comic will also be available in regular and Limited Editions. [Read on here...]
- Flash Gordon 4K preorders
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- Flash Gordon: 40th Anniversary Edition 4K
- Studio Canal UK
- Arrow Video
- Pitch Black 4K
- Kino Lorber Studio Classics
- Pretty in Pink: Paramount Presents BD
- Airplane: Paramount Presents BD
- David Twohy
- Black Test Car BD
- The Black Report BD
- The Comic BD
- Richard Driscoll
- Yasuzo Masumura
- Life After Flash
- Spaced Invaders BD
- The Day the Earth Caught Fire BD
- The Public Eye BD
Second Sight kicks off Dawn of the Dead 4K pre-orders, plus Hitchcock in 4K and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
All right, we’ve got one new disc review for you today: Tim has taken a look at John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles on Blu-ray from Arrow Video. Sounds like it’s a pretty nice release, so do check out his thoughts here.
In announcement news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just set DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Fifth Season for release on Blu-ray on DVD on 9/22. You’ll get all 15 episodes along with deleted scenes, a gag reel, and the DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 Post Production Theater featurette. As is the case with many of Warner’s recent DC live action releases, you’ll also get the Blu-ray bonus disc with all 5 episodes of the DC Crossover Event Crisis on Infinite Earths plus additional extras.
he big catalog 4K news today is that Second Sight in the UK has just finally revealed the specs of—and launched the pre-orders for—their long awaited 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray restoration of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. But there’s good news and bad news. [Read on here...]
Imprint Films’ August Blu-ray slate has When Worlds Collide (!), plus an update on Paramount’s To Catch a Thief and more
Afternoon, folks! Hope you all had a great long weekend—at least those of you here in the States. And for the rest of you, I hope this post finds you all safe and sound.
We’ve got a couple of interesting items for you today.
First though, I wanted to let you all know that I’m currently working on my review of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws in 4K Ultra HD. The 4K restoration is terrific. And I hope to have that review up for you later this afternoon or early this evening, so be sure to watch for it then.
Meanwhile, Tim and Dennis have turned in a couple new Blu-ray Disc reviews, including Tim’s take on Kevin Connor’s From Beyond the Grave (1974) from the Warner Archive Collection, as well as Dennis’ thoughts on David Miller’s Lonely Are the Brave (1962) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and also his look at Leigh Whannell’s recent take on The Invisible Man (2020) from Universal and Blumhouse. Enjoy! [Read on here...]
- Via Vision Entertainment
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Imprint Films August 2020 slate
- When Worlds Collide
- To Catch a Thief restoration details
- Paramount Presents
- Jaws 4K review
- From Beyond the Grave BD review
- Tim Salmons
- Dennis Seuling
- The Invisible Man BD review
- Lonely Are the Brave BD review
- Paramount SVP of Archives Andrea Kalas
- No Way to Treat a Lady BD
- A Place in the Sun BD
- The Carpetbaggers BD
- Night Falls on Manhattan BD
- Network Distributing
- The World at War on BD in 4x3
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, plus new 4K reviews, and The Snyder Cut lives!
We’ve got some good stuff for you here at the site today! So let’s get right into it.
First of all, we’ve posted a trio of new 4K Ultra HD reviews...
Late last night, I posted my in-depth thoughts on John Landis’ The Blues Brothers, new in 4K Ultra HD from Universal. I love this film and the good news is that it’s never looked and sounded better. Check it out here.
Also today, Tim has posted reviews of Blue Underground’s new 4K Ultra HD editions of William Lustig’s Maniac (1980) and Lucio Fulci’s Zombie (1979). These too have never looked better, but do be aware that the cover artwork pictured here on The Bits is NOT the final artwork.
We have to censor the cover art on some of these horror titles or Google flags them as offensive, which crushes our advertising. And we need advertising to survive, so there it is. Anyway, enjoy the titles! Blue Underground does great work. [Read on here...]
- Back the Bits via PayPal
- Tim Salmons
- Tom Cruise 4K Giveaway
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- HBO
- Warner Bros
- The Empire Strikes Back turns 40
- 40th anniversary
- Michael Coate
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- Justice League: The Snyder Cut
- HBO Max
- Zombie 4K review
- Maniac 4K review
- The Blues Brothers 4K review
- Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- Blue Underground
Betting the Ranch: Remembering “The Empire Strikes Back” on its 40th Anniversary
“The Empire Strikes Back should be remembered as one of the greatest films of all time!” — Skywalking through Neverland co-host Richard Woloski
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 40th anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, the middle act of George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy and one of the most celebrated and beloved sequels of all time.
The Empire Strikes Back (aka Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back) was directed by Irvin Kershner (The Flim-Flam Man, Eyes of Laura Mars) and starred Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, reprising their popular roles of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia, respectively.
As well, Empire featured returning cast members Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), and an uncredited James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. Newly introduced in Empire were Lando Calrissian (played by Billy Dee Williams) and Yoda (performed by Frank Oz and a team of muppeteers). [Read on here...]
- Star Wars
- George Lucas
- Irvin Kershner
- The Empire Strikes Back
- History Legacy & Showmanship
- Michael Coate
- The Digital Bits
- WR Miller
- Justin Berger
- Richard Woloski
- 40th anniversary
- John Williams
- Mark Hamill
- Harrison Ford
- Carrie Fisher
- Anthony Daniels
- Kenny Baker
- Frank Oz
- Alec Guinness
- Peter Mayhew
- Billy Dee Williams
Supergirl: Season 5, new Warner Archive, a True Lies/Abyss recap & more, plus RIP Charles Lippincott
All right, we’re working on FOUR more 4K Ultra HD reviews for the next couple of days, at least of the first of which we hope to have posted later this afternoon.
In the meantime, we’ve just launched our second giveaway on The Digital Bits’ Facebook page, offering readers the chance to win one of Paramount’s three new Tom Cruise 4K Ultra HD titles – Top Gun, Days of Thunder, or War of the Worlds. All you have to do to enter is follow The Bits’ Facebook page and reply to this post (linked here) with your answer to the question you’ll find. Entries will be accepted until 11 AM Pacific tomorrow (Thursday, May 21). The contest is open to US residents only (due to COVID shipping restrictions—sorry!). THREE winners will be selected at random from the list of those who enter and will be announced tomorrow afternoon. Good luck!
Meanwhile today, we have a bit more announcement news... [Read on here...]
- My Two Cents
- The Digital Bits
- Bill Hunt
- HBO
- Warner Bros
- Tom Cruise 4K Giveaway
- Supergirl: The Complete Fifth Season BD
- The Warner Archive Collection
- True Lies
- The Abyss
- James Cameron
- RIP Charles Lippincott
- Alien
- Star Wars
- Strike Up the Band
- Cannery Row
- Romance on the High Seas
- House of Wax 3D
- Project Blue Book: Season 2 DVD
- Trolls World Tour 4K and BD
- Via Vision Entertainment
- Film Stories UK
- Simon Brew
Warner sets Pennyworth & The Flash for Blu-ray, plus watch Apollo 13 online with NASA astronaut Scott Kelly
All right, we’ve got more disc reviews for you today...
First up, Tim has turned in his thoughts on Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel now on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection. Tim has also looked at the new Top Secret!: Special Edition Blu-ray from Via Vision Entertainment. It’s a REGION FREE import from Australia.
Meanwhile, Dennis has taken a look at a pair of new titles from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, including Stanley Kramer’s The Runner Stumbles (1979) and Leslie Norman’s The Long and the Short and the Tall (1961). Both are worth a look.
And finally, I’ve finished my review of Tony Scott’s Days of Thunder in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount. Whatever you may think of the film, the new 4K presentation is pretty good and a nice upgrade for fans.
More reviews are in the offing, so be sure to check back tomorrow. [Read on here...]
- Warner Bros
- HBO
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- The Flash: The Complete Sixth Season BD
- Pennyworth: The Complete First Season BD
- Apollo 13 Twitter watch party with NASA astronaut Scott Kelly
- Tom Cruise 4K Giveaway
- Tim Salmons
- Dennis Seuling
- The Grand Budapest Hotel Criterion BD review
- Top Secret! BD review
- The Runner Stumbles BD review
- The Long and the Short and the Tall BD review
- Days of Thunder 4K review
- Head of the Class: The Complete First Season DVD
- Back the Bits via PayPal
We’re giving away 3 new Paramount 4K UHDs—Top Gun, War of the Worlds, and Days of Thunder!
All right, we’re working on more reviews here today and there’s not a lot of release news to report, but we do want to let you all know that we’re going to be giving away SIX copies of new Paramount’s new Tom Cruise 4K Ultra HD titles on our Digital Bits social media channels this week—2x Top Gun, 2x War of the Worlds, and 2x Days of Thunder!
And our first giveaway starts NOW on Twitter...
Follow @BillHuntBits on Twitter and respond to THIS TWEET by telling us which of these three films (Top Gun, War of the Worlds, or Days of Thunder) is your favorite and why. Please respond just once, and note that this giveaway is only open to US readers (due to shipping restrictions, which are especially difficult during this pandemic). Every person who follows and responds will be entered in a giveaway for a chance to win a copy of that favorite 4K Ultra HD title. Three total discs will be given away on Twitter, one per winner. Entries will be accepted until 11 AM Pacific tomorrow (Tuesday 5/19) and the winners will be announced tomorrow afternoon (and also here on the site). Then we’ll message you to confirm your shipping address (which is why you need to follow). Good luck!
We’ll be running a similar contest on our Digital Bits Facebook page too later this week, so be sure to watch for the details. [Read on here...]
- Going Mad: The Battle of Fury Road
- Studio Canal UK
- Flash Gordon: 40th Anniversary Edition 4K
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Bill Hunt
- The Digital Bits
- My Two Cents
- Fred Willard RIP
- Flash Gordon 4K preorders
- Tom Cruise 4K Giveaway
- Paramount
- Dragonslayer in HD on Amazon Prime
- Ken Osmond RIP
- Ty RIP
- Lynn Shelton RIP
- Phyllis George RIP