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Some of you may have seen it when I posted last night, but I’ve finally gotten my review of Network’s Monty Python’s Flying Circus: Norwegian Blu-ray Edition box set posted.

The key is, Network was only able to send me the first two discs for review early. They’re sending the rest of the set as it becomes available, but I suspect I’ll end up having final product in my hands before the rest of the review check discs arrive. The set is now available in the UK and the US release streets on 11/12 from Amazon. (US orders from Network are now being shipped, so it’s just a matter of when they arrive.) The point is that I reviewed the two discs I have now—essentially Season One of the show. The restoration image quality is impressive, as are the new extras. Just know that I’ll update the review when the entire series is in my hands.

Meanwhile this afternoon, Dennis has turned in new Blu-ray reviews of Andrea Berloff’s The Kitchen from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Michael Gordon’s Woman in Hiding from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. So do enjoy those. [Read on here...]

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All right, folks… today’s column here at The Digital Bits is going to be a long one, filled with no small amount of nostalgia.

The reason is this: Today marks the official 10th Anniversary of the Blu-ray Disc format. The first seven Blu-ray titles (from Sony, MGM, and Lionsgate) appeared in stores on this day back in 2006 (as it happens, 6/20/06 was a Tuesday). They included 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, xXx, Underworld: Evolution, and The Terminator. The first set-top Blu-ray player – Samsung’s BD-P1000 (SRP $999) – had been expected to street on 6/25, but actually arrived in stores on 6/19, just in time for the Tuesday software debut. Here at The Bits, I got my hands on the player and four titles that day – The Fifth Element, The Terminator, Lord of War, and Crash (those last two officially went on sale the following week).  [Read on here…]