Russell Hammond has also posted the weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section, featuring all the latest Blu-ray and DVD cover artwork, as well as Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you order ANYTHING from Amazon though our links on The Bits you’re helping to support our work here at the site and we really do appreciate it.
Now then… in announcement news, our friends at Twilight Time have announced FIVE new catalog Blu-ray titles for release on 10/14 in limited editions. They include Audrey Rose (includes an isolated score track and the original trailer), The Believers (includes an isolated score track and the original trailer), The Blob (1988 – includes audio commentary with director Chuck Russell and film historian Ryan Turek, an isolated score track, the Friday Night Frights at The Cinefamily featurette, and the original trailer), Under Fire (includes an isolated score track (with some effects), audio commentary with director Roger Spottiswoode, assistant editor Paul Seydor, photo-journalist Matthew Naythons, and film historian Nick Redman, a second audio commentary with music mixer-producer Bruce Botnick, music editor Kenny Hall, and film historians Jeff Bond, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman, the Joanna Cassidy Remembers Under Fire featurette, excerpts from the Matthew Naythons Photo Archive, and the original theatrical trailer), and The Vanishing (1993 – includes an isolated score track and the original trailer). All will be available in editions of 3,000 each, save for The Blob which will be available in a run of 5,000 units. Each of these titles will become available for pre-order at Screen Archives Entertainment on 9/24 at 1 PM Pacific. You can see some of the cover artwork below.
Meanwhile, Olive has announced the 11/18 Blu-ray and DVD release of director Robert Altman’s Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (SRP $39.95 and $34.95). Extras will include an exclusive videotaped interview with playwright and screenwriter Ed Graczyk. You can see the BD cover artwork below.
Also, don’t forget that Criterion announced their December BD and DVD slate yesterday (see this post here at The Bits), which includes Todd Haynes’ Safe, upgraded editions of Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits and Liliana Cavani’s The Night Porter, and the Eclipse Series 41: Kinoshita and World War II DVD box set.
Meanwhile, Shout! Factory has set The Jeffersons: The Complete Series – The Deee-luxe Edition for DVD release on 12/9. The 33-disc box set will include all 253 episodes from the show’s 11 seasons, plus the Movin’ On Up : The Jeffersons featurette, the All in the Family episode The Jeffersons Move Up, the E/R Pilot (from the 1984 TV series E/R, starring Elliott Gould and featuring Sherman Hemsley guest-starring as George Jefferson), and an essay by TV critic Tom Shales.
Paramount has revealed that their new White Christmas: Diamond Anniversary Edition (due on Blu-ray and DVD on 10/4) will offer all new special features including 5 classic Christmas TV appearances by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye (including a virtual duet between Crosby and Michael Bublé), an optional sing-along subtitle track to the film’s most popular songs, new photo galleries, and a Christmas CD with 12 songs featuring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Judy Garland, including 8 never-before-released tracks. You'll also get the previously released special features including audio commentary by Rosemary Clooney, backstage stories, featurettes on Crosby, Kaye and Clooney, and more. See the cover art above and below.
Lionsgate has set the thriller Locked In for DVD only release on 10/14.
FUNimation has set Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods for Blu-ray and DVD release on 10/7.
Arc Entertainment will release Ava and Lala on DVD only on 10/7. The film stars Tom Arnold, JK Simmons, Mira Sorvino, and George Takei.
PBS Entertainment will release Dick Cavett’s Watergate on DVD on 10/14.
And finally, on the music front, Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced a new series of Rolling Stones: From the Vaults “SD Blu-ray,” DVD and CD releases coming this November. These are rare concert films from the band that have been newly-restored and include additional archive material. The first to be released are From the Vault: Hampton Coliseum – Live in 1981 on 11/4, followed by From the Vault: L.A. Forum – Live in 1975 on 11/18. You can read more on this here on Eagle Rock’s Facebook page.
Here’s a look at the cover artwork for some of the titles we’ve mentioned above, along with pre-order links if available…
That’s all for now. Stay tuned!
- Bill Hunt