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Monday, 11 November 2019 17:18

The Limey on 4K Digital, plus Abominable, new Kino Lorber Studio Classics titles & more

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We have a few interesting things to report today, but first some more reviews...

I’ve finally finished my in-depth review of Network’s complete Monty Python’s Flying Circus Norwegian Blu-ray box set, which streets tomorrow here in the US (it’s available via Amazon here). I’ve broken it out disc by disc, and episode by episode (including details on which have added and uncensored content restored), plus all the extras. This is a pretty amazing restoration by the folks at Network; if you’re a fan of Python, I think you’ll be as impressed as I was. Enjoy the review.

Also, Tim has posted reviews of Edward Bianchi’s The Fan (1981) on Blu-ray from Scream Factory, along with his thoughts on the documentary series The Toys That Made Us: Seasons 1 & 2 on Blu-ray from Screen Media. Both are well worth a look.

We’ve also got reviews of Warner Archive’s Batman Beyond Blu-ray box set on the way and more, so be sure to watch for them. [Read on here...]

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In release news today, Lionsgate has just announced the release of Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey on 12/10 in honor of its 20th anniversary. You’ll be able to purchase it on Digital 4K (though not physical) and On Demand. The Digital 4K will feature Dolby Vision HDR.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has set Abominable for release on Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD and On Demand on 12/17, with the Digital release expected on 12/3. Look for HDR10 and Dolby Atmos on the 4K. Extras will include audio commentary by the filmmakers, 4 deleted scenes, 5 Meet the Cast featurettes, 9 How to Abominable featurettes, the Marooned animated short, and 10 featurettes (including Show and Tell, Making a Myth (Movie), Animating Abominable, Your Yeti Care Guide, Courage to Dream, An Abominable Tour with Chloe Bennet, Everest’s Talk Box, Cooking with Nai Nai, You Can Speak Yeti-ese, and Nai Nai Says).

HBO is releasing Big Little Lies: The Complete Second Season on DVD on 1/7, with the Blu-ray release expected to be released the same day via the Warner Archive Collection (hats off to HBO for doing that). Extras will include The Lies Revealed: A Conversation with the Cast featurette (with Meryl Streep, Shailene Woodley, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz and Laura Dern).

MPI Media Group has set Battle of Leningrad for release on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital on 12/3.

Breaking Glass Pictures will release Greta on DVD and VOD on 11/26.

Kino Lorber has made official its December Blu-ray and DVD slate, which includes George: The Story of George Maciunas and Fluxus (DVD), Noon Wine (DVD), Glorifying the American Girl (1929) (DVD & BD), and Camille Claudel (DVD & BD) on 12/3, Inside Moves (1980) (DVD & BD), Hitchcock: British International Pictures Collection (1927-1931) (BD & DVD – includes The Ring, The Farmer’s Wife, Champagne, The Manxman, and The Skin Game), Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (BD & DVD), The Great Mystical Circus (12/10), and Water & Sugar: Carlo Di Palma, the Colours of Life (DVD) on 12/10, and Bi Gan’s Long Day’s Journey into Night (DVD & Blu-ray 3D), Eldorado (DVD), The Boat Is Full (BD & DVD), and A Sunday in the Country (BD & DVD) on 12/17.

Meanwhile, Kino Lorber Studio Classics’ January slate will include The Slasher (1953 aka Cosh Boy), The Hellbenders (1967), Kill Them All and Come Back Alone (1968), The Specialists (1969), Cobra Woman (1944), Brick (2005), Stand Alone (1985), Omega Syndrome (1986), Dr. Cyclops (1940), and British Noir II (includes The Interrupted Journey, Cosh Boy, Time Is My Enemy, Time Lock, and The Vicious Circle) (DVD only) on 1/7, followed by The Good Fairy (1935), The Great McGinty (1940), Just Visiting (2001), Room at the Top (1959), Night Patrol (1984), The Whisperers (1967), and House by the River (1950) on 1/14, and Ulzana’s Raid (1972), Tobruk (1967), The War Lord (1965), Semi-Tough (1977), and High-Ballin’ (1978) on 1/21.

And their February slate is set to include Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995), Summer of Sam (1999), The Oscar (1966), and Anne Frank (2001 TV Movie – DVD only) on 2/4, Heartbeeps (1981), The Sting II (1983), Transylvania 6-5000 (1985), Legal Eagles (1986), and Leave Yesterday Behind (1978 TV Movie – DVD only) on 2/11, The Criminal (1960 aka The Concrete Jungle), Accident (1967), Perfect Friday (1971), The Light at the Edge of the World (1971), The Day of the Dolphin (1974), and Je t’aime moi non plus (1976) on 2/11, and Quai des orfevres (1947), The Third Lover (1962), Line of Demarcation (1966), The Deadly Trap (1967), And Hope to Die (1972), and Max and the Junkmen (1971) on 2/25.

KL Studio Classics has also announced that it’s working on Joseph Strick’s The Balcony (1963), Joseph Losey’s Secret Ceremony (1968), Samson vs. the Vampires (1961), and The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) for BD and DVD release in 2020.

In other news today, CNBC has posted an interesting article on the decline of physical media and specifically DVD, the sales of which have declined a whopping 86% in the last 13 years. And as you can see by the chart included with the article (and which I’ve shared below), it’s not Blu-ray/4K that’s replacing the dollars lost but subscription streaming.

Home Video Sales

Speaking of streaming, we’re now on the eve of the launch of Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+. Which means by this time tomorrow, many of you will have seen the first episode of The Mandalorian. I don’t know if the app has dropped anywhere yet, but one can imagine it beginning to appear for download on all the usual devices sometime after midnight tonight. I’ll certainly be checking the Roku channel store this evening.

And finally today, our friends over at the UHD Alliance have just updated the glossary of Ultra HD terminology on their official website with accurate definitions and information. Some of you might find it useful as you wade into the world of 4K. You can find that here.

Ultra HD Premium

That’s all for now. Back tomorrow. Stay tuned!

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