Liberation Hall has revealed that it plans to release Robocop: The Series (1994) on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/10 (SRP $59.95 and $49.94), including the 89-minute, 2-part pilot and all 21 episodes, mastered from “original vault elements.” The Blu-ray is formatted for 16x9, while the DVD is formatted for 4x3. Audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 for DVD and 2.0 LPCM for Blu-ray. Extras will include a toy commercial, a photo gallery, cast profiles, and 6 featurettes (Behind the Scenes, From Cinema to the Small Screen, The Future of Law Enforcement: The History of RoboCop, Put Down Your Weapon: The Auto 9 Gun, The Car, and The Suit). Here’s a teaser for the release...
Also coming from Liberation Hall in Q1 are Chicago Blues Reunion (DVD) on 1/14, The Moon and Sixpence (DVD) on 1/25, Of Mice and Men (1968 ABC TV – DVD) on 4/5, and the Steven Seagal film A Dangerous Man (Blu-ray and DVD) on 4/5.
Verdugo Entertainment is releasing Ghost Riders (1987) on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/8 via the MVD Entertainment Group (SRP $29.95 and $19.95). Extras will include audio commentary (with director of photography/producer Thomas L. Calloway, writer/producer James Desmarais, and moderator Steve Latshaw), the new Bringing Out the Ghosts: The Making of Ghost Riders documentary, the vintage Low Budget Films: On the Set of Ghost Riders documentary, a stills and behind-the-scenes gallery, and original and reissue trailers.
Lionsgate has set Heels: The Complete First Season for DVD release on 2/15.
Blue Underground has set a new 2K restoration of Lucio Fulci’s Manhattan Baby for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 4/19. Audio will be English 5.1 and 1.0 mono in DTS-HD Master Audio format. Extras will include Fulci & I, For the Birds, 25 Years with Fulci, Beyond the Living Dead, Stephen Thrower on Manhattan Baby, and Manhattan Baby Suite, as well as the theatrical trailer, and a poster and stills gallery.
In a bit of digital news, we’ve been tipped off that the streaming presentation of Children of Men (2006) on Movies Anywhere looks to be mastered from a fresh scan, so it’s possible that Universal has a new 4K Ultra HD version coming in the months ahead. It’s certainly an obvious title for 4K release. Hey Universal... while you’re at it, how about new 4K UHD releases of Brazil, 1941, Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, and 12 Monkeys as well?
Meanwhile, Sony has shared a new sizzle reel for their forthcoming Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection 4K box set (due on 2/1). Here’s a look at that...
And finally today, we have to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of director Peter Bogdanovich (82) and actors Sidney Poitier (94) and Bob Saget (65).
Bogdanovich was a cinematic wunderkind in the 1970s, whose The Last Picture Show is considered a masterpiece of American filmmaking. Additional works include What’s Up, Doc? and Paper Moon. You can read more about him here via The New York Times.
Sidney Poitier of course was the first Black performer to win the Best Actor Oscar for his work in Lilies of the Field in 1963. Then he went on to turn in groundbreaking performances in such films as To Sir, with Love, In the Heat of the Night, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. The NY Times has a detailed profile and remembrance available here as well.
Sadly, comedian and actor Bob Saget died unexpectedly yesterday while on tour in Florida. Saget was best known for his portrayal of Danny Tanner on TV’s Full House, and for hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos. He’d just done a 2-hour stand-up gig on Saturday evening, and though all the details aren’t yet fully in, it appears that he may simply have died in his sleep of natural causes. Again, you can read more here via The Times.
All three will surely be missed.
That’s all for today. Back tomorrow with more news and reviews. Stay tuned...
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