My Two Cents
Monday, 03 January 2022 14:07

Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing & Killer’s Kiss are coming to 4K, plus more reviews, new Blu-ray & Ultra HD announcement news, and Betty White RIP

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Welcome to 2022, folks! As usual, we’ve got some new reviews and a bunch of Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release news to report today. So we’ll start with those reviews first...

Tim has posted his thoughts on Giorgio Ferroni’s 1060 Italian Gothic horror title Mill of the Stone Women, which is now available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video. He’s also taken a look at Ronin Flix’s new 4K Ultra HD release of Meir Zarchi’s controversial I Spit on Your Grave (1978).

Also, Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Mitchell Leisen’s Golden Earrings (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stephen has offered a look at George Nierenberg’s Say Amen, Somebody (1982) on Blu-ray from Milestone Video and Kino Lorber proper.

More reviews are forthcoming all week, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them. [Read on here...]

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Now then, speaking of Kino Lorber Studio Classics, the company has just revealed that they’re going to be releasing Stanley Kubrick’s early film noir titles Killer’s Kiss (1955) and The Killing (1956) on 4K Ultra HD, each with new Dolby Vision masters! That’s just as jaw-dropping, unexpected, and awesome as anything we can imagine. Keep in mind, this is in addition to their already-announced plans to release Kubrick’s Paths of Glory (1957) on 4K UHD in the coming months. That opens up the possibility that—if Warner releases their remaining Kubrick titles (Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut) on the format (as they should do!)—and KLSC releases Lolita (1962) as well (also an MGM title), virtually the complete Kubrick may find its way to the 4K UHD format in the next couple of years (save for Fear and Desire). And that would be absolutely outstanding and just as it should be.

I’ll tell you something: For my money, Kino Lorber Studio Classics is really knocking it out of the park, not only with their 4K plans but with their catalog Blu-ray slate in general. Studios like Disney should take note.

Some additional news... Lionsgate will release the Ethan Hawke thriller Zeroes and Ones on Blu-ray on 1/4.

The MVD Entertainment Group’s next MVD Rewind Collection Blu-ray title will be Liar’s Moon on 2/8.

Paramount and MTV will release Yellowstone: Season 4 on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/8.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has set the NBC special Annie Live! for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/18.

The Warner Archive Collection has a number of great new catalog Blu-ray titles up for pre-order on Amazon.com (you can see the cover artwork below) including Song of the Thin Man (1947) and Edge of Darkness (1943) on 1/18, Stage Fright (1950) on 1/25, Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) on 2/8, and The Three Musketeers (1948) on 2/15.

Film Movement has set Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/18.

RLJE Films and Shudder are releasing Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King’s rotoscoped animation fantasy film The Spine of Night on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Steelbook on 2/1.

And Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is expected to release Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 2/8.

While we’re talking Sony, we should also mention that the studio’s Columbia Classics: Volume 2 4K UHD box set is currently selling for just $89.60 on Amazon (click here for the link). The studio’s Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection 4K set has also been on sale for just $99 over the weekend, but it pre-orders appear to have been halted temporarily, which suggests that they’ve sold out of the initial stock they expect to have on hand on 2/1. But we would imagine the set will come back up for pre-order as soon as Sony is confident they can deliver more units. So keep your eyes peeled for that here.

Betty White RIPFinally today, we have to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of legendary TV actress Betty White, who sadly died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 99, just three weeks shy of what would have been her 100th birthday. Of course, White was best known for the role of Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, as well as her turn as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. But she appeared in many other TV series and films over a remarkable seven-decade career, and had a “comeback” of sorts after hosting Saturday Night Live in 2010. She was truly one of the hardest working—and funniest—women in show business. You can read more about her life here via The New York Times.

We’ll leave you today with a look at the cover artwork for those Warner Archive Blu-ray titles we mentioned earlier, as well as The Spine of Night in 4K UHD. All are now available for pre-order on Amazon by clicking on the covers...

The Spine of Night (4K Ultra HD) Stage Fright (Blu-ray Disc) The Three Musketeers (Blu-ray Disc)

Edge of Darkness (Blu-ray Disc) The Gold Diggers of 1933 (Blu-ray Disc) Song of the Thin Man (Blu-ray Disc)

Back tomorrow with more. Stay tuned...

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

 

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