First, we have a quick update for you on Fox’s new Kingdom of Heaven: 10th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray (due 10/7). Though it isn’t official yet this does appear to be a legit release as, when I asked Fox for details, I was told that the announcement is forthcoming. Our best retail sources suggest this will be a 2-disc set and, fingers crossed, it will be 2 Blu-rays and not a BD/DVD Combo. We continue to hear that the set will contain 3 versions of the film, which would essentially be all the versions that have been previously available – the 144-minute Theatrical cut (from the Theatrical DVD), the 194-minute “Roadshow” Director’s Cut (from the 4-disc SE DVD, which includes an overture and entr’acte), and the 189-minute Director’s Cut (from the previous Blu-ray, sans overture and entr’acte). Conceivably, all of those could fit on a single BD 50 disc via seamless branching, which means the second disc (if it’s a Blu-ray) could contain nearly all of the previous DVD special edition extras. That would be great, so fingers crossed. In any case, we should know more very soon.
Are there any Sopranos fans out there today? We’ve got great news for you: HBO is finally releasing The Sopranos: The Complete Series on Blu-ray on 11/4! The SRP is $279.98, but Amazon has it for $251.98. This is a 28-disc set. Here’s what the open packaging looks like...
HBO will also release Getting On: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray on 11/11.
And a couple of Bits readers have asked me about this one recently: HBO is finally releasing The Newsroom: The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/4 (SRP $79.98 and $59.98).
Here’s something cool: A&E Home Video is getting ready to release The Avengers: Season Five on Blu-ray on 11/11. This 1967 season of the classic Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg series was its first in full color.
Speaking of Fox again for a moment, the studio has announced the DVD release of Daniel Boone: The Complete Series on 9/23, featuring all 165 episodes of the classic Fess Parker TV show. Here’s what the open box looks like (we’ll add the Amazon pre-order link as soon as it goes up)…
Fox has also set Love Finds You on Sugar Creek coming on DVD on 10/7.
Meanwhile, Sony has set Deliver Us from Evil for Blu-ray and DVD release on 10/28.
Lionsgate has set The Rover for Blu-ray and DVD release on 9/23, starring Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce.
Shout! Factory has set Leave the World Behind, a music documentary about the Swedish House Mafia, for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 9/2.
Magnolia will release Ragnarok on Blu-ray on 11/18.
Strand Releasing has set Hélène Cattet’s The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears for Blu-ray release on 12/9.
Gkids Inc. has the Japanese anime series Welcome to the Space Show coming on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/11.
Music Box Films has set Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Penance for Blu-ray and DVD release on 10/14.
And Cinedigm will release Delivery: The Beast Within on DVD on 9/30.
Here’s something for you music fans: Did any of you know that David Lynch directed a Duran Duran concert film back in 2010? It was shot at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles back on March 23, 2011. Now Phase 4 Films has picked up the concert film, called it Duran Duran: Unstaged, and they’re releasing it into theaters on 9/10 and onto Blu-ray and DVD sometime later this year. Thanks to our own Russell Hammond for spotting that. Here’s the trailer...
And finally, here’s something fun: Anchor Bay has set Mike Myers’ first film Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon for Blu-ray and DVD release on 10/7.
We’ll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray cover artwork for HBO’s The Sopranos: The Complete Series and The Newsroom: The Complete Second Season, A&E’s The Avengers: Season 5, Twilight’s La Bamba (due due 9/9), Image’s The China Syndrome (due 10/14), and the DVD art for Fox’s Daniel Boone: The Complete Series…
Stay tuned...
- Bill Hunt