All right, we’ve got some good 4K catalog news for you guys today, plus some more new disc reviews. But first, please allow me a brief diversion...
It’s been kind of a roller coaster week for me here at Digital Bits HQ. Last Tuesday, it became clear that one of our cats, a 17-year-old tortie named Maddie, was ailing and my wife and I needed to take her to the vet. We did immediately, and learned that she was in kidney failure—common for cats of that age. The vet recommended that we do sub-q fluids and feed her a special diet to try to get her to bounce back, which I spent most of last week administering. But by Friday, it became clear that she just wasn’t strong enough to. She’s always lived with a heart murmur, so when we adopted her the vet said she probably wouldn’t live a long time. Yet she almost made it to 18. Maddie definitely lived life on her own terms.
Anyway, we had to let her go on Friday, which was rough. Then on Saturday night, some friends invited us to join them for their 35th anniversary celebration, and that was wonderful. Then I got up at 6 AM to watch the Vikings play the Jets in London, and my team squeaked out a win—I’m a lifelong Vikings fan, having grown up in North Dakota, so their 5-0 record seems surreal. (And I’m just going to enjoy it while it lasts.) Last night, I convinced a friend—who is visiting his brother in Fargo—to drive out of town to see the Northern Lights; something he’s always wanted to experience. Well, experience it he did, and he shared pictures of it with me in real time. And today is my 57th birthday. So, it’s been a lot of good this past week, with a bit of really terrible. But I suppose that’s life.
All right, let’s knock out those disc reviews...
Stuart has offered his thoughts on Bert I. Gordon’s Empire of the Ants (1977) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And Tim has taken a look at Roland West’s The Bat (1926) on Blu-ray from Undercrank Productions.
More are on the way, including my look at The Hitcher in 4K and also The West Wing: The Complete Series on Blu-ray, so do watch for those this week. [Read on here...]
Now then, most of you will be aware that I’ve been talking for many months now about how Miloš Forman’s Amadeus (1984) was coming to 4K Ultra HD next year. Well, the first retail hints of it are finally starting to appear online—on Zavvi and Amazon UK specifically!
Here’s a look at the Zavvi listing (click to visit the page)...
That’s just a placeholder obviously. The official street date is still TBD/TBA. And I’m working to confirm which version(s) of the film will be included. I know for sure that the Theatrical Version has been screening around the country in its new 4K restoration (see here and here). Per Paul Zaentz, son of producer Saul Zaentz and a production controller on the film, the Theatrical Version was Forman’s preferred version (the so-called “Director’s Cut” was produced for DVD). So I would advise everyone to expect the Theatrical Version only, and if the longer version is included it will be a nice surprise. I’ll try to let you know as soon as I can. Keep in mind, the Theatrical Version hasn’t been available on disc since the original 1997 DVD release (the DC came out on DVD in 2002, I believe, and on Blu-ray in 2009). My guess is that the package will have the Theatrical in 4K and the DC on Blu-ray. But again, I’ll try to confirm.
Also today, our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have revealed over the weekend that Roger Donaldson’s Dante’s Peak (1997) is coming soon to 4K Ultra HD, along with Rob Cohen’s Daylight (1996)—both pretty solid disaster flicks.
And you can now pre-order Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) on Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD on Amazon, and 4K Steelbook (click on the format links provided).
All right, now if you’ll forgive me for cutting things short today... I’m going to go and try to relax and enjoy my birthday. I’ll be back tomorrow with more. And I’ll leave you with a picture our sweet Maddie, who was a good girl and will be missed.
Stay tuned, my friends...
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