Displaying items by tag: The Digital Bits

All right, we’re kicking things off today with four more reviews...

Tim has posted his thoughts on the Windrider: Special Collection’s Edition Blu-ray from the MVD Rewind Collection. David has checked out Super Troopers 2 on Blu-ray from Fox. And Dennis has a look for you at William H. Macy’s Krystal on good old DVD from Lionsgate.

Meanwhile, I’ve posted my in-depth review of John McTiernan’s original Predator (1987) on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. The disc streets today, and you should be aware that the film looks exactly as it should in 4K, with a great transfer that preserves the original grain. The film has never looked better. Note that the package also includes the previous Ultimate Hunter Edition Blu-ray, which still has the excessive DNR.

As for the Predator 3-Film Collection in 4K Ultra HD, know that Predator 2 also features a terrific new native 4K scan, while Predators is a decent 2K DI upsample. The package also includes the same Blu-ray editions as before. [Read on here...]

This is just a quick Sunday post to share some breaking news...

At the official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas this afternoon, it was announced that CBS is finally going to be releasing Star Trek: Discovery – Season One on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/13. All 15 episodes will be included along with over two hours worth of special features. Additional details are still to be announced. But this comes straight from CBS and in fact has been shared on social media on the official Star Trek: Discovery Twitter feed.

It was also announced at the convention that another new Star Trek series featuring the return of Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard is being planned for eventual release as a CBS All Access exclusive, for those who may be interested.

One more bit of 4K Ultra HD news… we’ve learned from sources that Sony is going to be releasing David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on 4K Ultra HD in October or November, probably at the same time as their forthcoming Panic Room. Savvy Blu-ray fans will know that Panic Room has never been released on the format, but there should be a Blu-ray in the UHD package and there will almost certainly be a separate Blu-ray SKU as well.

Back tomorrow with more. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)

All right, let’s have a quick update with more breaking release news…

Many months after we first told you it was coming, Universal is finally bringing The Big Lebowski to 4K Ultra HD on 10/16, with both regular and limited editions available (the latter can be seen below, packed with swag). We’re awaiting the official announcement, but both are now listed for pre-order on Amazon.com (click here and here to see them).

Also, the studio is releasing a Jurassic World: 5-Film Collection on 4K Ultra HD on 9/18, day and date with the home video release of Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K. So those of you who waited to pick up all the earlier films in 4K hoping for a 5-film box, now’s your chance. You can see the cover art art right and you can pre-order it here.

Note that we’ve updated the 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits with this information and pre-order links for a number of additional upcoming 4K titles. [Read on here...]

Today’s update is a quickie, but we’ve got some good stuff for you.

Let’s get the usual site business out of the way first...

We’ve got three new reviews for you today, including Tim’s take on The Addiction: Special Edition Blu-ray from Arrow, David’s thoughts on Let’s Make Love on Blu-ray from Twilight Time, and Dennis’ look back at Laugh-In: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD from Time Life. All are worth checking out.

Also today, we’ve posted a brand new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate, in which he takes a look back at Live and Let Die with a roundtable of Bond experts in celebration of the film’s 45th anniversary. It’s a great retrospective and another fine addition to Michael’s Bond series, so definitely give it a read. We think you’ll really enjoy it. [Read on here...]

“[Live and Let Die is] an early A-list film that recognized the value and influence of the generally under regarded blaxploitation film genre.” — Josiah Howard, author of Blaxploitation Cinema

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 45th anniversary of the release of Live and Let Die, the eighth (official) cinematic James Bond adventure and notably the first to feature Sir Roger Moore as Agent 007.

Our previous celebratory 007 articles include Octopussy, Casino Royale (1967), Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day, Dr. No, The Living Daylights, The Spy Who Loved Me, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Casino Royale, For Your Eyes Only, Thunderball, GoldenEye, A View to a Kill, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Goldfinger, and 007… Fifty Years Strong.

The Bits continues the series with this retrospective featuring a Q&A with an esteemed group of film historians and James Bond authorities who discuss the virtues, shortcomings and legacy of 1973’s Live and Let Die. [Read on here...]

The big news today is that Arrow Video is releasing a new 12 Monkeys: Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on 10/16, mastered from a new 4K scan of the original negative and approved by director Terry Gilliam. Extras will include audio commentary by Gilliam and producer Charles Roven, Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe’s The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys feature-length documentary, an extensive image gallery, the theatrical trailer, and more newly-produced content yet to be announced. You’ll also get a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring liner notes by Nathan Rabin and archive materials. You can see the package at left and you can pre-order it here on Amazon.

Arrow is releasing a new Schlock! Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray that same day. This will also be mastered from a new 4K scan of the original negative, and will feature audio commentary by writer/director John Landis and makeup artist Rick Baker, a new video interview with author and critic Kim Newman, Birth of a Schlock, an archival video interview with cinematographer Bob Collins 1972, 1979 and 1982 US theatrical trailers, US radio spots, a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys, and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Joe Bob Briggs. You can pre-order it here on Amazon as well. [Read on here...]

First things first today... we have no less than four new Blu-ray reviews for you to check out.

Tim has given John Carpenter’s Memoirs of an Invisible Man a look on disc from Scream Factory. David Steigman has checked in with his thoughts on Take a Girl Like You (1970) from Twilight Time. And Dennis Sueling has turned in his thoughts on Kino’s The Maids (1975) and Olive Film’s Streets of Vengeance.

Also today, we’ve just learned from our retail sources that Mission: Impossible – Fallout is expected to street on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 12/4. Best Buy will have an exclusive Steelbook version. Adjust your plans accordingly. We’ve updated the 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits accordingly.

By the way, before y’all start freaking out: This is very likely TEMP cover artwork (at left and also below) for use by retailers for pre-orders. Don’t assume it’s final until Paramount finally announces the title. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a slow news day for you today, but we do have one great bit of news for you...

Mill Creek Entertainment has announced their October and November release slate and the highlight is that they’ve got The Shield: The Complete Series coming as a Blu-ray box set on 11/6 (SRP $229.98). The 18-disc set will include all 88 episodes remastered in HD from new 4K scans/restorations of the original 16mm film elements “preserving the intentional grit and raw texture that’s unique to this series.”

All of the previous extras will be included, among them deleted scenes, audio commentaries with the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes featurettes and more. The set will also include all-new features exclusive to this set, among them The Shield Reunion, The Shield: A Retrospective, Restoring The Shield, The Critical Response to The Shield, and The Shield Writers Room (a reunion from the ATX Festival Panel). You can see the cover artwork at the left there and also below. [Read on here...]

We’ve got three new Blu-ray reviews for you to enjoy today, including David Steigman’s look at Eli Roth’s Death Wish remake and Phillipe de Broca’s 1966 French drama King of Hearts. We’ve also got Dennis Sueling’s thoughts on Jonas Carpignano’s Italian drama A Ciambra. All three are new or recently released on Blu-ray and are worth a look.

In announcement news today, 20th Century Fox has finally officially announced their Predator and Predator 3-Movie Collection on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on 8/7. A limited edition Steelbook version of the collection will be available at Best Buy and FYE stores. Extras on the Predator will include audio commentary by director John McTiernan, a text commentary by film historian Eric Lichtenfeld, Predator: Evolution of a Species-Hunters of Extreme Perfection, If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It: The Making of Predator, multiple Special Effects and Inside the Predator featurettes, Short Takes with the Filmmakers, deleted scenes and outtakes, a photo gallery, and a Predator Profile.

Audio on all of these films will be in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Predator and Predator 2 were finished on film and should be new 4K film scans, while Predators is a 2K DI upsample. We suspect the HDR format will be HDR10. Note that we’re awaiting official confirmation from the studio on the tech specs (aside from the audio, which is confirmed). [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a bunch more interesting news for you today…

First though, two more new Blu-ray reviews… Tim has just turned in his thoughts on Scream Factory’s Piranha II: The Spawning on Blu-ray, directed by no less than James Cameron. The disc streets on 7/31, and it’s worth a look.

Also, our own Dennis Seuling has given Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One a look on Blu-ray. That disc streets today and I do expect to review it on 4K Ultra HD as soon as Warner sends a review copy. Watch for that soon and enjoy the BD review from Dennis in the meantime.

Now then… Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just made Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom official for release on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 9/18 (as we predicted weeks ago), with the Digital release expected on 9/4. [Read on here...]