My Two Cents
Tuesday, 03 September 2013 14:16

Before Midnight, R.I.P.D., Red 2, White House Down, The Eagle Has Landed, Anchorman & more!

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All right, we’ve got a screaming new server for The Bits now – just a few little DNS issues here and there need to be worked out and we’ll be completely back to normal.  Let us know on The Bits Facebook page if you notice anything amiss.  And thanks again for your patience.

First up here at The Bits today, we’ve got a pair of new Blu-ray Disc reviews for you:  Tim Salmons has checked in with his thoughts on Disney’s disappointing new The Sword and the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition.  Sadly, it looks like the studio dropped the ball on the remastering.  And our own Todd Doogan has turned in his two cents on Michael Bay’s new Pain & Gain on Blu-ray from Paramount.  As with the case with Star Trek Into Darkness, it appears you get great A/V quality and bupkis for extras – in this case (given the apparent lack of retail exclusive versions) it probably means a double-dip is in the offing.  Anyway, enjoy the reviews.  [Read on here…]

In announcement news today, Sony has officially confirmed that Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on 10/22.  Extras will include audio commentary with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater, the Revisiting Jesse & Céline featurette and video of a Q&A with Hawke, Delpy and Linklater.  Still no word from Warner Home Video as to whether Linklater’s Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are coming anytime soon on Blu-ray, but we’ve got a call into the studio to find out.  We’ll let you know if we hear anything.

[Update:  We just heard back from Warner – “No plans at this time.”  I let them know that, based on your e-mails, there’s definite interest in Before Sunrise and Before Sunset on Blu-ray and that they should reconsider.  We’ll see.  Maybe you guys should let them know that you’re interested over on the Warner Archive Facebook page.]

Sony has also White House Down for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/5 (SRP $40.99 and $30.99).  Extras will include 13 featurettes (Lights, Camera, Heart-Pumping Action, Roland Emmerich: Upping the Ante, A Dynamic Duo, The Beast, Men of Action, Geared Up, VFX Boundaries Down, The Inside Story, Presidential Treatment, Crashing the Oval Office, Drowning the Beast, Recreating The White House and Meet the Insiders) and a gag reel.

Talk about fast to disc: Universal has just set R.I.P.D. for release on Blu-ray 3D Combo, Blu-ray Combo, DVD and digital on 10/29.  Extras will include 5 featurettes (Nick’s New Avatars, Transferring R.I.P.D.: The Making of, Filming the Other Side, Walking Among Us: Deados & Avatars and Anatomy of a Shootout), 2 alternate openings, deleted and alternate scenes, a gag reel and R.I.P.D Motion Comics: Bringing the Avatars to Life.

And Paramount and DreamWorks have just set the Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy – The Rich Mahogany Edition for release on Blu-ray Disc on 12/3 (SRP $24.99), just in time for the theatrical debut of the sequel.  All three versions of the film will be included on this 2-disc set (including Wake Up, Ron Burgundy) along with what looks like all of the extras from the previous DVD releases.

Meanwhile, Lionsgate has set Red 2 for Blu-ray Combo and DVD release on 11/26.  Extras will include a behind the scenes featurette, deleted scenes and a gag reel.

Lionsgate has also set Miramax’s City of God and City of Men for release on Blu-ray Disc as a double feature on 9/24 (SRP $14.99).  This marks the first time City of Men has been available on Blu-ray in the States.  Also coming that day to Blu-ray from the studio is Paid in Full.  And Lionsgate has set Legend of King Fu Rabbit for release on DVD on 9/24.

Shout! Factory has officially set the classic WWII film The Eagle Has Landed for Blu-ray/DVD Collector’s Edition release on 10/15.  Extras will include 5 featurettes (The Eagle Has Landed Revisited: Invading Mapledurham, Tom Mankiewicz: Looking Back, Film Night Location Report, On Location in Norfolk, On Location Interviews with Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland and John Sturges and ATV Today On Location) and the film’s theatrical trailer.

Image and RLJ Entertainment have set Bloody Homecoming for DVD release on 9/24.

Vertical Entertainment has moved the street date for its thriller Scenic Route on DVD to 9/17 (from 9/24).

Blue Underground has set Maniac Cop 2 and Maniac Cop 3 for release on Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack on 11/19 (SRP $29.98 each).  Extras on Maniac Cop 2 will include commentary with director William Lustig and filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, the Back on the Beat: The Making of Maniac Cop 2 featurette, a Cinefamily Q&A with the director, trailers, a gallery of poster and still images, a deleted scene, an isolated music track and D-Box enhancement.  Maniac Cop 3 will include the Wrong Arm of the Law: The Making of Maniac Cop 3 featurette, deleted and extended scenes, the trailer, a gallery of poster and still images, and D-Box enhancement.

And Gaiam Vivendi and Wango Films will release Dead Before Dawn on Blu-ray and DVD on 10/1.

Here’s a look at the temp art for Universal’s R.I.P.D., plus final BD art for Sony’s Before Midnight and White House Down, Paramount’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Blue Underground’s Maniac Cop 2 and Maniac Cop 3

R.I.P.D. (Temp Blu-ray Disc)    Before Midnight (Blu-ray Disc)    White House Down (Blu-ray Disc)

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - Rich Mahogany Edition (Blu-ray Disc)    Maniac Cop 2 (Blu-ray Disc)    Maniac Cop 3 (Blu-ray Disc)

Whew!  Lot of release news for one day.  Stay tuned…

- Bill Hunt

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